Purest Hearts and Intentions
by klavscaroline
Summary: KC ONESHOTS (Ch. 8) - "I didn't mean to kill him." Caroline wakes up to find herself covered in blood, next to a mangled, dead body. She can't remember how she got there, or what happened, and calls upon the only person she trusts for help. (Human Caroline AU)
1. The Price of Royalty (Royalty AU)

**(A/N): I've decided to create this series for all my past and future drabbles/oneshots.** This is a repost from my submission for the Klaroline Vacation Gift Exchange 2018 for captndevil, which was uploaded on AO3.

 **Summary:** He had always been told that his father was dead, but when King Ansel of Velherre arrives in his home to tell him that he is his only surviving child, he is thrusted with the knowledge that he will one day be King. The Price of Royalty often comes heavy, and he finds out that being the future King comes with a price tag in the name of his love, Caroline Forbes.

* * *

 **The Price of Royalty**

"Don't be alarmed, Niklaus, but you're my son," the bearded man in front of him spoke.

"I'm sorry? I think you're mistaken," he faltered, looking past the many burly security guards to find his mother, who silently nodded in confirmation, "No, this has to be a mistake, my father's dead, he died thirteen years ago, before I was born"

His mother stepped forward, "I… I lied to you, Niklaus, I lied to you because I never thought this day would come, and it was safer for you this way," Esther began to explain, her voice shaking from guilt.

"Safe from what? What in the world am I in danger from that requires me to believe my own biological father is dead ?" He shouted in disbelief, his small fists clenching in anger.

"There's more to this, Niklaus, and once again, I apologise that this is overwhelming, but I must introduce myself. I'm King Ansel of Velherre, and you are my heir," his gaze was so intense that it unsettled him for a moment. As he studied his supposed father, he began to notice the wrinkles in his forehead, the slight darkness beneath his eyes, the paleness of his skin. This was a man with a burden on his shoulder, the burden of thousands of people.

"How is this even possible? I'm… I'm no one, literally, I'm no one. I'm just that guy with glasses and a sketchbook. You… Sir, Your Majesty, I… I'm not an heir to anything," a million thoughts were going through his mind. _This is madness_ , he thought, _this is real madness_.

"Your father and I, as you know, had an affair and I was, and still am, a married woman. It would've caused a right scandal if the people knew, and the media would've haunted you. I had to protect you from that, my dear, you must understand," his mother pleaded, seeing the look of betrayal in his eyes.

"Then why tell me now? Why wait thirteen years? Why didn't you just let me live my life not knowing?"

His parents looked at one another, as if debating whether they should elaborate.

"You have… You had a half-brother, Orion, who was the heir to the throne before you. He… he passed away recently from a car crash, and as I have no other sons or daughters-"

"A bastard is better than nothing"

"Niklaus, you shouldn't think of yourself like that," King Ansel treaded carefully, "But I'm not getting any younger and my poor habits have taken a toll on me. I need to have an heir to the throne or there will be a period of interregnum, which we cannot afford, not with the rivalry among the other Houses of the country. War would ensue, that's for sure"

There was silence as the young boy tried to imagine the responsibilities that he must one day uphold, "So it really isn't an option, is it?"

"Niklaus, I know it's a lot for you to take in, and don't you worry, there's still time. No one is asking you to take over the throne now, this is something that you will prepare for in the future"

"I don't want to move to Velherre, I want to stay here. My siblings are here, Finn, Elijah, Kol, Bekah and baby Henrik. I want to be here with them"

With worried eyes, King Ansel looked over to Esther, "Then he shall stay here in Mystic Falls for now. I understand that it's difficult for young boys like Niklaus to be uprooted in his teenage years," he turns to Klaus, "When the time comes in the distant future, Velherre will be ready to welcome her future King home"

* * *

 **5 Years Later**

"Okay, don't look now, but he's totally looking at you," Elena whispered beside her. The canteen was packed full with students of Mystic High, and they were seated right in the centre, where they had a good view of everyone around them.

Curious, she pushed her blonde curls behind her ears and peered through the corner of her eyes to spot the man in question.

"Caroline! I said don't look!" Elena exclaimed, throwing her hands up, exasperated.

"What? I wasn't looking," she replied, a light blush blossoming on her cheeks, "And plus... I have no idea what you're talking about"

"Care, you're a lot of things, but you're certainly not blind. We've been telling you since Junior year, he's so obviously into you"

"You're seeing things, Elena," Caroline rolled her eyes, despite inwardly revelling at Elena's words, "Besides, I'm sort of seeing Tyler"

"Liar Tyler, pants on fire," a new voice sing-songed as she said down opposite them, "I wouldn't exactly call what you guys have exclusive anyway, at least not on his part"

"Ouch, Kat, way to hit a girl in her feelings," Caroline said deadpanned.

"For once I agree with Kat, you deserve way better. You deserve someone who looks at you like you're the light of their lives. Someone like… him" Elena darted her eyes towards Klaus again.

Caroline stayed silent as she pondered her best friends' words. She may have overplayed her relationship with Tyler to them. Sure, he was a good person: a boisterous, active and confident athlete, but to say that he was a good "boyfriend" or whatever he was to her, was a little bit of a stretch. But she was used to it, everyone had their priorities, but she just wasn't his.

A flicker of movement caught her peripheral vision as she saw Klaus Mikaelson leave his table. Their eyes met for a brief second, and he gave her a rare dimpled smile, but that was quickly over as he turned to exit the canteen.

"For someone who's so insistent in denial, you're surely having a good time staring at his backside," Katherine teased.

Now, Elena was right, Caroline was a lot of things, but she surely wasn't blind. Klaus Mikaelson had always been an enigma, someone who kept close to his family and his small group of friends. He was perceived as quiet and shy, but Caroline had a feeling there was more to him than that. He had secrets and a past that he kept to himself, and he preferred to stay out of the spotlight rather than in it, the complete opposite of her and the social circle she ran with. It was… refreshing.

It certainly helped that puberty was very kind on him. Gone was the gangly teenager, and in came the tall, handsome man with striking features and stormy blue eyes.

Maybe he wasn't the only one with a crush after all.

* * *

He ran his hand through his dark blonde curls, as he looked at the poster on the wall next to his locker.

 _Christmas Ball_

Every year, the prom committee would organise a Christmas Ball for the students of Mystic High. As a senior, it would be his last chance to attend, but he wasn't so sure if he wanted to.

In fact, he's never been. Despite the constant nagging from Rebekah, she's never succeeded in getting her big brother to go.

Klaus knew that when he's King one day, he would have to attend a myriad of social events and pretentious functions as a representative of his country. He's never even been to a high school ball, so how was he supposed to handle the aristocrats of Velherre?

Since finding out about his claim to the throne five years ago, he tried his best not to think about it. His father had told him that in the future, he would have to step into that position, but that future was not right now. He had avoided all talks of it, and even sworn his siblings into secrecy. He didn't crave attention, nor did he want it, and he knew that he would be the talk of the town if his secret was ever revealed. He just wanted to be normal for as long as he could.

But in the hallways, he could hear a melodic voice talking to passing students who were eager to buy their tickets to the Ball from her. She was so passionate in her conversation that he couldn't help but want to support her in her event.

She had many titles. Miss Mystic Falls, Captain of the Cheerleading Team, Chairman of the Prom Committee, the list was endless, but to him, she was just Caroline. She was the girl who went out of her way to make other people smile, someone who didn't think of themselves as high and mighty just because they ran with the popular gang, someone who was real and flawed, but didn't try to hide it.

He's had a crush on her since he could remember. It had dawned upon his realisation that he only had a few months before they would graduate and he would never see her smile again.

 _Christmas Ball? Here we go_ , he thought.

* * *

Dress, check. Make up, check. Hair, check. Purse, check. Caroline ticked off her mental list as she looked at herself in the mirror one last time before entering the school hall, where the Christmas Ball was taking place.

She was part of the organising team this year, and she couldn't help but be in awe at the final product. It took months of organising and she watched as her ideas came into fruition

She decided to come solo, despite Tyler's invitation. Since that day in the canteen, she couldn't help but think of how disingenuous their 'relationship' was.

People were starting to flood in as the volunteers finished their final touches to the venue. Familiar faces walked past her and praised her for her work, but there was one that she never thought would show up at an event like this.

Dapper in his three-piece suit, Klaus Mikaelson looked like he stepped out of a magazine. He looked slightly uncomfortable as he glanced at his surroundings, and being the great hostess that she is, she decided to alleviate his situation.

"Klaus," he turned around to look at her, his eyes bewildered at the fact that she was even speaking to him, "I didn't think you'd come"

"I… Um… Yeah… " Klaus was internally freaking out, but remembered the etiquette classes that his mother insisted that he took as a child, "It's our final year, and it would be silly of me to miss out this event"

"Well, I'm glad you're here," she said with a smile, and then, there was an awkward pause, "Um… Enjoy your time, Klaus," she turned to leave, embarrassed that the exchange didn't go as planned.

Klaus was feeling exactly the same way, and he knew that if he let her go, they would just fall back into being simple acquaintances. It was now or never.

"Wait," he called out as she turned around, her beautiful blue dress picked up by the air around her, "Um… I was thinking, do you want to dance?"

Caroline's eyes lit up.

"Yes"

* * *

Months went by and never for a second did he regret his moment of courage because since that day, the two had been inseparable.

She brought him out of his shell, and he started to feel his walls cracking apart. By February, they were officially together, and they were the golden couple of Mystic Falls. Despite the initial townies' gossips, he didn't feel all that bad as she was right beside him to guide him through it.

The only thing that still bothered him to this day was the fact that he hadn't told her about Velherre, but he knew they had more pressing challenges to face.

Challenges in the name of College. Graduation was looming over them soon, and decisions had to be made.

Caroline was deciding between New York, or staying in Virginia, and as for Klaus, he was still unsure, but he knew he wanted to be close to her.

"Niklaus," he heard his mother call out in the living room, "Niklaus, come down, we need to talk"

He quickly texted Caroline to tell her that he may be late for their dinner plans that night, as he didn't know how long this conversation would last.

When he arrived in the living room, he nearly turned around and went straight out the door.

"Father," he bit out, "A surprise"

"Niklaus," King Ansel stood up to embrace his son, "It's been a long time, my son"

They've exchanged video and phone calls over the years, but the two hadn't had physical contact since the day they met. He had to be here for a reason other than to just catch up.

"What're you doing here?"

"I thought you'd be pleased to see me," his father laughed.

"Seeing as you're normally too busy running a country to fly all the way here, and the last time we met in person was when you told me I was the heir to the throne, I take it that it must be something important"

"Smart boy," King Ansel praised, "Remember when I told you that when the time comes, Velherre will be ready to welcome her future King home?"

"I do remember the word 'distant' being in there somewhere," Klaus muttered, anxious of where this conversation is going.

"I'm afraid, son, my health is deteriorating and I think it's time you assume your position as heir to the throne. You are an adult already, you will be graduating from high school soon, and I want you to pursue your University education in Velherre. It'll be a great opportunity for you to get to know our country and for the people to know you"

"College in Velherre?"

"College, University, yes. We have a great education system there and I have brought leaflets from our twelve Universities for you to choose from"

"I don't… I can't leave," Klaus stated firmly, "I can't leave. I have a life here, I have-," he thought of Caroline and the thought of leaving her pained him.

"It's that girl, isn't it. Niklaus, it's not worth it," Esther said plainly, "You'll find someone else in Velherre, a more suitable candidate," it was a known fact that she was not a fan of the blonde cheerleader as she thought her son was more suited for a high class lady from Velherre, and she also knew that Caroline Forbes was the only thing anchoring him to America.

"Son, I know it's difficult to leave your life behind here, but this is your responsibility as the future King," Ansel reasoned.

"No, I can't, I won't leave," he turned to walk away.

"Please, think about it," he heard his father plead.

* * *

"You seem distracted," he felt her approach him from behind with her hands on his shoulders, massaging him gently, "You've been distracted these past few days, what's going on?"

"Nothing, sweetheart," he managed a small smile at the sight of her. He had been in quite a mood since his father's request.

"That sounds bad, it's not me, is it?" She laughed, teasingly.

"Of course not," he replied instantly, as they went to sit down on his bed, "There's just a lot going on"

"You can tell me," she put her hand on top of his, "I'm here for you, Klaus, always"

He took a deep breath, as he took her hands in his, "Caroline, there's something I need to tell you"

"Okay… you're scaring me a little bit, but whatever it is, we can figure it out together," her heart was pounding in her chest.

"I... I haven't told anyone this before, and no one apart from my immediate family knows, but as you know I'm not Mikael's biological son"

"I know… I'm aware… and reminded every time I see him treat you like that," Caroline muttered angrily as she remembered the times she stood up for Klaus in front of his step-father.

"The truth is, my real father came to visit me five years ago. Before that, my mother told me he was dead, but it turns out he clearly wasn't," he continued, "That day, he revealed to me that he's more than just my father, but also the King of Velherre, and I'm next in line for the throne"

Caroline froze. She had heard a Velherre, a small country in Western Europe, but she had never been. But the fact that her boyfriend was the heir to the throne there, or even anywhere as a matter of fact, was the last thing she expected from this conversation.

"Love?" She heard him say, "Sweetheart, say something"

"I don't even know what to say… but what? WHAT? Klaus! Are you serious?" She saw him nod, his face rid of any mirth or amusement, "This is crazy, how is it that you didn't tell me something this big?"

"I didn't want you to freak out, I just wanted to be with you and be normal and happy and I didn't want us to have to worry about something that was going to happen in a very distant future. But I know now that in order for us to move forward in our relationship, I have to be honest with you in everything, and I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier, and I get it if you're mad'

Caroline sighed, "I'm not a mad, Klaus, I'm just… shocked, I guess. I need some time to process this," she saw the fear in his eyes, "But I promise, this doesn't change the way I feel about you, not one bit"

"The thing is, there's more. My father came to visit me a few days ago and he told me that his health was deteriorating and that the 'distant future' he talked about may have just become a lot less distant. He wants me to go to Velherre for University and prepare me for the throne"

Caroline was once again speechless. She was devastated that he had to leave, but at the same time, she knew it would be so unfair of her to ask him to stay. He had a responsibility to his country and she couldn't stop him from fulfilling that. She wouldn't be that girl, not anymore.

"As I said before, Klaus, I'm here for you, and I'll support you every step of the way. I understand if you have to leave and I won't be that girl who stops you from fulfilling your destiny," she forced a smile on her face, despite wanting to break down inside.

"Caroline, I can't leave you behind," he pleaded, "I want to fight for us, I want us to have a future"

"You can't throw away your future for me. I'm just a girl, and there're plenty more of those out there. I promised you that I would do everything in my power to make you happy, and I know that letting you go is for the best"

"I can't," his voice quivered as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on hers, "I can't, Caroline… I love you"

She could feel the tears in her eyes as she heard him say those words for the very first time. She hated that it had to be like this, because she knew she loved him too, and she wanted a future for them too, but destiny seems to have a different plan.

"I love you too, Klaus"

Their lips met in a passionate kiss as they both felt tears welling up in their eyes, knowing in a way that this was their goodbye. They fell backwards onto his bed and proceeded to show each other how much they loved the other.

* * *

 **5 Years Later**

"Caroline, I need you pack your bags, you're going abroad for this story" her Editor-in-Chief ordered in their daily briefings.

She had started working at the New York Times ever since she graduated from College, and being a newbie, this was a big opportunity for her.

"You will be going to Velherre for the next two weeks to cover the story of the coronation of their new King"

Her eyes widened as she processed her briefing notes. She was going to witness the coronation of her ex-boyfriend, the only person she had never really been able to shake from her mind. Despite their love for each other, they decided to split amicably when he left for Velherre before the distance took a toll on them and tore them apart. It was better to separate on good terms than to end up resenting one another.

Two days later, she was in the Velherre International Airport with her luggage in tow. The country was beautiful, as she had witnessed from her flight above, and from the friendly faces of the staff greeting her, she was sure the people were lovely too.

She had been a bag of nerves since the briefing, and she was simultaneously anxious and dreading their meeting. She often thought about him, what he was doing, whether he was happy. She wondered whether he had moved on, because she knew she hadn't been able to.

"Ma'am," a friendly voice called out once she reached the hotel, "This is your key to Room 2123, your luggage will be brought up you in a while"

"Thank you," she took her keys and rode the elevator up to her room. She opened the door to reveal a grand suite with a beautiful view of the city. She put her handbag down on the bed, when she noticed a letter.

 _Dear Caroline,_

 _I heard of your arrival to Velherre and I want to be the first one to officially welcome you here. The country is beautiful, and you'll find yourself surrounded by food, music, art and culture, and ever since I arrived, all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you._

 _It's been five years since we've last seen each other, but I think of you constantly. I must congratulate you on the successes that I've heard you make, and I hope that I'll have a chance to hear you tell me all about it._

 _I would be honoured if you could join me at the top floor restaurant at 8pm tonight. I hope you'll be there._

 _Yours,_

 _Klaus_

She didn't need to read the signature to know exactly who it was. To this day, he still managed to have an effect on her with just his words.

With that, she put down the letter, and put on her nicest dress, and took the elevator up.

This meeting was five years overdue.

* * *

 **(A/N)** Hope you liked this story! Leave a review, favourite or follow to see read more!


	2. How To Know He Loves You

**(A/N):** Written for Klaroline Sweep Swap 2018, this fluff piece is dedicated to UppityBitch.

 **Summary:** After Klaus left Mystic Falls ten years ago, she thought that he had forgotten about her, until one day, he shows up at her doorstep to fulfil a promise he made to her all those years ago. During their trip around the world, she receives a link to an article from Kol Mikaelson, titled '5 Undeniable Signs He's In Love With You', because let's face it, these two are idiots, but more specifically, idiots in love and denial. And there really is no clearer way to make them see that than a list to tell you how you know he really loves you.

* * *

When she was fourteen, she thought she would have it all figured out by the time she was thirty. Things like friendship, grief and love shouldn't come as a puzzle to her, especially after everything she's been through. But as one should expect from being the object of affection of the Original Hybrid, things were never simple.

In fact, Klaus Mikaelson was anything but simple, you don't live a thousand years without a few life lessons learned the hard way. It was perhaps these life lessons that made him into one of the most powerful creatures alive. That, and the fact that he literally cannot be killed (trust her, she's tried). Over the millenia, he had mastered the skills of manipulation to fit his agenda.

Which is why it was terribly concerning to find out that after about a decade since he left Mystic Falls, he was apparently still very much into her. It wasn't that she hadn't thought of him every now and then, he was after all her biggest what if, but if there was anything that she had learnt from being a vampire for over a decade, it was that you could never be too cautious, especially when it came to your heart because one would never knew when it might just get ripped out (figuratively and literally, of course).

So as much as it flattered her (immensely) to hear such news after bumping into his brother, Kol Mikaelson, on her travels to Milan, she decided it was in her best interest to push it to the back of her mind.

That is, until he showed up.

 _She had to admit, the bath in this hotel in Milan was pretty stellar, completely justifying her two-hour long soak. If she wasn't a vampire, she was sure she would be mistaken as a walking prune, but alas, after reading a pile of fashion magazines, she decided to act on that inspiration and hit the streets for some shopping after dinner._

 _Wrapping her long blonde locks in a towel and a robe around her body, she rummaged the large closet for a nice ensemble when she heard a knock on the door. Perfect timing, she thought, thank goodness for room service._

 _"Come in," she called out, "You can put it on the counter by the entrance, thank you!" She was already opening her fridge for a bag of blood for a perfect finishing touch._

 _She heard the door open and close but when she turned around, it was clear that the person who entered was not room service. Not unless room service would stand within an arm's length and held a trademark smirk._

 _"Hello, love," he greeted, sounding exactly like he did ten years ago, and every time he appeared in her dreams since._

 _"You!" she exclaimed, in complete and utter shock, squeezing the blood bag a little too hard that it was spilling all over the floor._

 _"Yes, me," he replied swiftly, "I must say that I'm delighted you decided to go on this world tour like we talked about all those years ago. I am, however, disappointed that it didn't include me"_

 _"So you decided the best way to remedy that is to insert yourself into my trip? And besides, why would I? It's not like you made an effort to find me all these years" Caroline said, sounding a little too bitter for her supposed nonchalance._

 _"Trust me, I have good reasons for that, but now that everything is sorted, I do believe I owe you a tour"_

 _Being incredibly skeptical of his intentions, she quickly shot him down despite her heart pounding at his suggestion, "How about no?"_

 _"Take a chance, love. I promise you won't find a tour guide quite like me," he said with a tone of sincerity, his eyes twinkling with amusement and dare she say, hope, "I would love to take you to Rome, Paris, Tokyo…," he remembered after all this time._

 _And at this point, who was she to resist?_

But all that was a week ago. And now she was sitting with her feet propped up on the sofa of their hotel in Paris, the second stop (after Milan) of their _tour du monde_ before they had to return… home, wherever that was.

And wasn't that such a strange concept. If you asked her a year ago where home was, she would've said Mystic Falls in a single heartbeat. But ever since her mother's death and the fact that people have complimented her on her flawless skin at the age of thirty more often than not, she decided it was time to move on. There was nothing there for her anymore, nothing but pain and memories of what could've been.

So she packed up her bags and went on her trip around the world. It was time she got to explore it, now that nothing was holding her back. Jet setting around London, Madrid, Santorini, Prague and now most recently, Milan, she subconsciously never set foot in Rome, Paris nor Tokyo until now. There was something that told her to wait, because a decade or so ago, she promised to go with someone else.

And there were many times she would berate herself for being so silly. Why would he, Klaus Mikaelson, a man who had lived a thousand years, met millions of people, remember a barely five minute conversation between them, let alone care enough to do something about it.

But just like so many times before when it came to him, he proved her wrong and as much as she would like to deny it, it made her feel some kind of way.

She looked up to check on the man in question and found that he was still concentrating on his painting of the Paris skyline from their room. She smiled at just how relaxed he looked when she felt her phone buzz beside her and found a text message from an unfamiliar number.

Confused, she opened the text that revealed a link to an article, _'5 Undeniable Signs He's in Love with You'_

For a moment, she thought somebody must have mixed up her phone number with another, but then she felt another buzz.

 _If you don't believe me, see for yourself - Kol_

Caroline groaned, reminded of her last conversation with the youngest Mikaelson brother.

 _She was walking around the unusually empty Milan Cathedral when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand, it was as though someone had been watching her._

 _She turned around, her arms stretched out ready to attack, when the person behind her reacted in a much quicker speed._

 _"Easy," he said in a semi-defensive position, "I would hate to have to injure my future sister-in-law"_

 _"Kol?" She asked, the last time she saw him, he was killed by her friends in a plan she had been feeling remorseful for ever since._

 _"Back from the dead, but don't worry, I don't hold grudges," he said proudly, "You know, of all the people to bump into, I find you. This must be fate," he sighed dramatically._

 _"And what exactly does ' fate' have planned for us?" She asked sarcastically with air quotations, deciding to humour him for once._

 _"For me to play Cupid of course, you haven't seen my brother lately, have you?"_

 _"Klaus? I haven't seen or heard from him in a decade," she said, trying to hide her disappointment._

 _"A thousand years old and still an idiot," Kol pretended to shake his head in exasperation, "Though, to let you in on a little secret, I can assure you that he is still very much into you"_

 _"You're crazy," she said in disbelief, though his words piqued her interest._

 _"I would know, I've seen it both here and on The Other Side," he said vaguely, before adding "If only you could see it too..."_

It seems that he must've thought this was the best way for her to "see it", reading some article aimed for all too insecure teenagers.

But as ridiculous as it was to evaluate her love life based on the writings of some unknown author, the small part of her that is the eternal teenager wanted to read it. It was after all a guilty pleasure of hers when she was human.

 _Just a quick skim_ , she thought to herself, _it doesn't count as reading… right?_

What started as a skim ended up in her jotting the points down in a little notebook that she carried around for all her daily random thoughts. It was as close to a diary as she had.

 _This is purely for fun, nothing serious,_ she convinced herself.

What she didn't know was that she would spend the next indefinite amount of time thinking about it.

* * *

 **1\. The Way He Looks At You**

 _He looks at you like he can't believe you exist, and more importantly, it's like he can't look away_

She really wasn't all that surprised when Klaus suggested that they spend the day at the Louvre. Though she wasn't much of an expert on art, she could certainly appreciate the structure that held some of the world's most beautiful masterpieces, and you most definitely cannot claim to have had the whole Paris experience without at least visiting it once.

The museum as usual was crowded with tourists and locals alike. People spoke in variety of languages, leaving Caroline in utter awe that a place like this could unite people from all parts of the world.

They walked past the sculpture of Venus, the Raft of Medusa, Mona Lisa, and famous works that she had only previous heard much of, but never seen in proximity. She had to agree that Klaus was the perfect tour guide for a place like this, for he had a story to go along with every notable one, having been alive during most of their creations and even being acquaintances with some of their makers.

"And what about this one?" She pointed, the sculpture of a beautiful woman catching her eye.

When Klaus didn't reply, she turned to him and saw that he was a few feet away, looking at her in a way that made her feel as though she was the work of art in this splendid museum. When he felt her gaze, he snapped out of his trance and asked sheepishly, "Sorry? I didn't hear you, love"

"I was just wondering what this one was," she gestured again to the sculpture, "It's beautiful"

"This is the sculpture of Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, Warfare and Handicraft. People regard her as the warrior Goddess and you see right there? That's the head of the gorgon, Medusa, who was slain by Perseus and given to her as a gift to adorn her shield. Personally, she's my favourite"

"Mine too," Caroline concurred, as she digested the story for a few moments before moving onto the next display.

Surrounded by all these beautiful pieces of art, he couldn't help but be mesmerised by the woman beside him. He had been to the Louvre numerous times before, and had always found it just as interesting as the first time, but now that he was here with Caroline, none of the artwork seemed to capture his attention quite like she did.

She, it turned out, was the greatest centrepiece of them all.

* * *

 **2\. Your Happiness is as important to him as his own**

 _In fact, he may value yours even more than his own. A man who loves you will want to learn what you love and don't love and ensures that he can make you the happiest you can be_

No one ever warned her that Rome would be so hot. With all the open spaces around, there was barely any shade in sight. Even with her loose floral sundress, which respectfully covered her knees in case they were visiting the famous churches, she was still feeling the heat waves coming up from under her feet.

"Maybe we should take a break," Klaus suggested, "I didn't think it was possible for a vampire to look sunburnt," he teased, somehow managing to not look like a sweaty mess. The pair had just finished sightseeing at the Pantheon, and was now walking towards the Colosseum.

"I'm fine, Klaus," she reassured, "We have so many places to go in Rome, we can't afford to stop now"

"We have all the time in the world," he said with a smile, admiring the way her hair reflected in the sunlight, "How about instead of walking, let's take a taxi?"

"And miss all the beautiful scenery?"

Even though he was feeling extremely hot right now, with the sun beating directly down on his dark blond locks, the look on Caroline's face left him telling himself to suck it up and keep walking. Perhaps he may have been fine with missing some of the beautiful architecture that Rome had to offer, but it was Caroline's first time here and he wanted to make the most out of this experience. He did promise to be the perfect tour guide, after all.

"I could really use a bottle of cold water, though," she said.

"How about you stand over there by the shade and I'll go get us something?" He gestured towards the narrow alleyway by the sidewalk, "I think I saw a store just down the next street. I'll be back in a minute"

"Thanks, Klaus," she said, squeezing his hand to let him know her appreciation.

Following his suggestion, she went to the shade to wait for him. She was deep in thought as she recalled the list that Kol sent her and mentally ticked off the first one. She was getting that feeling you have when you know someone likes you, and she was hyper aware every time he looked at her and she was finding it harder and harder to control her blush. But she was quickly interrupted before she could stop the smile from creeping onto her face.

"What's a beautiful girl like you doing out here all alone?" A man came up from behind her.

"I'm waiting for someone," she said, hoping he would go away so she wouldn't have to resort to violent measures.

"Boyfriend?"

She hesitated, unsure of how to respond. They weren't dating for sure, but they were certainly not just friends. And it seemed like the man caught her hesitation because the next moment he had her backed up against the wall, his facial features morphing into one that she often caught on herself and others like her.

"You can't compel me," she said, ready to fight him off, "I'm a vampire"

"Your lack of heartbeat gave it away," he said cockily, "But lucky for you, I'm not a vampire"

"Hybrid…," noticing the colour in his eyes.

"Well done," he brushed his finger on her cheek, his fangs dangerously close to her neck, "You surprise me"

"You're in for a much bigger surprise," she muttered, closing her eyes so she wouldn't provoke him further and started counting the seconds before he would be ripped off her.

"Wha-," true to her prediction, he was flung backwards onto the pavement before he could finish his sentence and was lifted by his collar.

"I should rip your head off," Klaus threatened, his eyes flashing gold.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Mikaelson, I didn't know," the man stuttered, immediately recognising the Original Hybrid, "I wasn't planning on doing anything, I swear. I was just going to scare her a little and take her daylight ring, but I wasn't actually going to hurt her"

"You don't need a daylight ring," Caroline cocked her eyebrow, doubtful of his story.

"It's not for me," the man cried out desperately, "It's for my wife, she's a vampire but these rings are hard to come by and the witches here don't want us roaming around in the day… I swear, it's the truth, you can compel me to tell you everything… I'm sorry, please," he begged.

Klaus didn't care, let this be a lesson to the Hybrids who dared cross him. He stuck his hand into the man's chest, feeling for his vital organ.

"Wait!" Caroline called out, "Don't"

"He wanted to hurt you," he protested, still glaring at the man.

"But he didn't," she countered, how could she let the man die knowing that he was driven by desperation. She touched Klaus on his arm and he switched his gaze towards her, and she gave him a reassuring look that she was fine, "We all do things for family"

Klaus pondered for a moment at his dilemma. On one hand, he wanted to rip this man's heart out to assert his authority as Alpha. If he let him go, the others will no longer fear him and his position among his subordinates would be threatened. But on the other hand, he knew this wasn't what Caroline wanted, and she deserved someone who valued life after everything she had lost.

Having made his decision, he realised that one was more important than the other and he turned his attention back to the man, "You're in luck that the lady spoke in your favour, but you won't be so lucky the next time. I don't show the same mercy twice," he removed his hand from the man's chest and dropped him on the floor.

"Th-Thank you, Miss," the Hybrid directed at Caroline, with what little energy he had left, "I'm sorry"

Caroline shook her head and gave him a small smile, only relieved that it didn't take a much deadlier turn. She went to Klaus who stood by the side, glaring at nothing in particular.

She tiptoed to gain a little extra height and pecked him on the cheek, "Thank you," she said sincerely, knowing what he had to sacrifice to make this choice.

"Only for you, Caroline," he said in a small voice, "It was all for you," he repeated the words he said to her a decade ago, only this time, it wasn't out of spite, but out of admiration for the vampire who could carried so much love that she could even find it in herself to give him a second chance.

"One day," she continued, "I believe that you'll rule over the supernaturals, be the King you've always wanted to be, but it won't be out of fear, but instead, out of mercy, forgiveness and respect" she said, "You think you're only capable of evil, but I know you're so much more than that"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know because I've seen it," she said with a smile, taking his hand in hers, "Everyday"

He was a thousand years old, and not many things surprised him. But in that moment, he was dazed by her diligence and grace that it made it seem as though she was the one with a millennium of experience.

"Come on now, the Colosseum is waiting," she led him towards the landmark, and for her, he was willing to be a follower.

* * *

 **3\. He Misses You When You're Apart**

 _When you love someone, you miss them and look forward to the days you'll finally see them again_

"You know… I've always wondered why you never came back to find me," she said, her fingers fidgeting nervously with her blanket. They were now on flight to Tokyo, the last destination of their trip, "I mean, you were probably really busy, I get it, but I just thought… hoped even, that maybe you would've called"

"Like I said, it wasn't my choice," he explained, "If it was, I would have never left in the first place," it became his turn to take her hand, as he stroked the back of it in a slow and easy pattern, "I wanted to find you, all the time, but I didn't want to put you in danger, especially when I wasn't there if anything happened. It would've destroyed me"

She wasn't sure if it was the cold from the aircraft or his words, but she felt a shiver down her spine and the racing of her long-dead heart.

"I've thought of New Orleans as my kingdom for centuries, I built it up from dust, but when Mikael found out and chased after us, I left, abandoning my home and leaving it in the hands of my then-trusted ally, Marcel," he elaborated, "But after years of neglect, I went back to discover that things were not the way they were meant to be. I didn't build the city to be a war zone, but somehow, it became one. Vampires, werewolves and witches couldn't co-exist and the city no longer thrived in a way that it once had, and I owed it to my legacy to do something about it

"But I had a lot of enemies, and Marcel had built himself an army in my absence. We fought for years and years, and he threatened the lives of people I cared about. He turned my own sister against me, killed my companions in front of me, brought Mikael back to haunt me. I couldn't imagine what he would do to you if he found out how much you meant to me. He had all communications in the city tapped, and he had eyes everywhere, contacting you became too high of a risk to take. But trust me, love, I wanted to, more often than you could ever imagine"

"I think I can, because there were so many times I thought to pick up the phone and call, but I couldn't," she opened up to him, feeling ashamed of her own cowardice, "I was so scared that you wouldn't feel the same way anymore and that you would have forgotten who I was, because at the end of the day, who am I compared to all these great people you've met in your lifetime"

He looked at her as though he couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. Why couldn't she see the same thing he could? She was the light and strength that came bouncing into his life uninvited when he least expected it, and she stayed there in his mind even when she was hundreds of miles away because she left a mark much deeper than any other.

Brushing her blonde tendrils behind her ear, he whispered, "You, Caroline, are everything. Never doubt that"

She broke out into a huge smile and cupped his face, giving him a kiss that conveyed everything she felt throughout these few weeks. When he reciprocated, she finally felt content, at ease, and at home.

She laid her head on his shoulder as he held her close, tucked in next to his body, and she closed her eyes, letting sleep consume her.

People say it's hard to sleep on airplanes, but this was one of the best she had ever had.

* * *

 **4\. He Treats You Like Priority**

 _Everyone gets a little busy, but he will make spending time with you a priority_

Tokyo was beautiful, everything about it was so uniquely different that it almost felt like she had travelled to a whole new planet. From the bright lights of the city, to the food, and the culture, it had exceeded above and beyond her wildest dreams.

"This is such a beautiful place," she voiced out her thoughts, as they stood on top of the Tokyo Tower, overlooking the capital city, "I'm so happy we came"

"I am, too," he said in agreement, "Not many people know this about me, but I've always wanted to live here, but I've never actually been"

"Why haven't you?"

"I've always had something that had to be done. Everywhere I went had a purpose, whether it was to recruit an army, find a doppelganger, or exact revenge. Taking time to enjoy my life wasn't a priority and when it came to a choice between that and power, it would always be the latter. But now…"

"Now?"

"Now that I'm here with you, all I can think of is how much I want to stay," he smiled genuinely, looking out the window.

They stood in a comfortable silence before she began to speak again.

"Did you know that of all the people I've dated before, you're the only person who has ever even considered taking me on a trip anywhere, let alone fulfil that promise," Caroline mused, dropping a kiss on his shoulder.

"Oh, so we're dating now?" He said, he turned to her, his eyes full of mirth.

"Don't tease! You know what I mean," she said, only a little embarrassed at her bold claim, "It's always been 'I'm sorry, Care, I'm too busy with this and that, maybe next time' but next time never came and it would always be just another empty promise, which is why when you said you would take me around the world, I didn't believe you at first because I've been let down so many times before"

"Well, unlike your ex-boyfriends, who were clearly idiots to let you go, I actually want to see the world with you, take you to places that even I've never been before. Even if I had to drop everything to be here, I would. It's nice to have a few first times even when you're a thousand years old with the person you want to be with the most. This is just one of many," he said that as though it was a promise.

"I'll hold you out on that," she laughed.

"Well, I'm thinking that we should extend our trip, stay here for a couple more months, get to know the real beauty of Tokyo" he suggested.

Her heart pounded at the thought of being alone with him in this foreign city for a few more months, but as much as it excited her, she had to be logical, "But don't you have to go back to New Orleans? Things have just started to stabilise and you've worked so hard on it. We can always come back another time," despite wanting nothing more than to stay, she couldn't be selfish when it came to him.

"I think it's time I chose happiness, don't you think?"

"Which is?" Already knowing his answer, but wanting to hear it anyway.

"You," he said, kissing her three hundred and thirty three metres above ground.

* * *

 **5\. He Wants To Give To You**

 _Relationships are about giving, not taking, and when you love someone, you'll give them everything you have_

But of course, every trip had to end in due time and after spending three months in Tokyo, the pair headed back to New Orleans together.

She knew she wanted to be with him and there was nothing stopping them now, so they decided that the next logical move was for Caroline to move to New Orleans so they could try to make it work.

And in the back of her mind, she knew they would.

That's not to say that things were easy. Having to adjust to a whole different lifestyle was difficult. New Orleans was not a small town like Mystic Falls, but it was a supernatural hub of generations and generations of powerful creatures who liked to challenge the city's new foreign queen to see what she was made out of.

Despite the challenges, it was a huge honour for her, it really was, the fact that Klaus was letting her rule beside him in the city that he had built and spent years fighting for. There was no greater representation of trust and devotion than this.

So even in her moments of self-doubt, when she wasn't sure if she was the right person for the job, she remembered that he chose her. Not Elena, not anyone else, but her.

She was still slowly settling into her master bedroom with Klaus when she found the notebook she had long forgotten sticking out from her suitcase. She hadn't glanced at it since she had written the list.

 **How To Know He Loves You**

 _The Way He Looks At You_

 _Your Happiness is as important to him as his own_

 _He Misses You When You're Apart_

 _He Treats You Like Priority_

 _He Wants To Give To You_

She looked through all these points and realised that she could come up with more than one occasion where he had demonstrated them. He may not have said it, but she knew that he loved her and that's what mattered.

"What're you looking at," he hugged her from behind, greeting her with a kiss on her head.

"It's nothing," she began, feeling a little silly, but before she could shut the notebook, he had already caught a glimpse.

"How to know he loves you?" Klaus read out, "You wouldn't be thinking about me, would you?"

"I-,"

"Because I can assure you, you don't need an article to tell you this. I love you, Caroline"

She smiled, feeling genuine happiness.

"I love you, too"


	3. Bounded (HP AU)

**(A/N)** : This was written for the Klaroline Sweet Swap Valentines Gift Exchange, dedicated to LynyrdLionheart.

 **Summary** : Klaus is a male Veela that turns to a magical coffee-shop owner Caroline to help break his curse. Little did they know, they were both hiding secrets that will soon unveil and perhaps destiny has more installed for them than they realised.

* * *

The first time they met, she felt his presence before she saw him. In fact, she was sure that everyone in Mystic Cafe did. It began like any ordinary day, with her behind the counter serving her regular clienteles their first cup of caffeine of the day, until a wave of energy surged through the store that caught everyone's attention.

It was like something out of the movies, as cliché as it sounds. The way he walked in with his dark blond curls slightly windswept and his black leather boots echoing among the silent crowd was right out of an action film. It was like he was moving in slow motion and everything else blurred into the background behind him.

"Caroline Forbes?" Before she could snap out of it, he appeared in front of her counter. His accent was foreign and she found herself even more intrigued.

If she didn't know any better, she might've thought that he was merely an exceptionally charming man who had travelled across the Atlantic Ocean for a taste of New Orleans and her infamous coffee. But she did. There was something… different about him that had her Forbes senses on alert.

"Depends… who's asking?" She replied hesitantly.

"I think you know who I am, or at least, what I am," he drawled slowly, her senses were on overload with the way he leaned in to whisper into her ears.

"W-What do you want?" She stammered.

" _Exsolvius_ " he said simply.

Caroline stiffened, she had a feeling that he would be trouble, as his kind often were, "No. Absolutely not. I'm not involved with magic anymore and not to mention, that potion is highly illegal. Male Veelas are bound for a reason, they're dangerous - you're dangerous"

"Sweetheart, you and I both know that you're lying. This whole Muggle act isn't fooling me. I imagine your customers would be quite intrigued with just how you make your infamous coffee. How those drinks of yours have a little extra something in them"

She narrowed her eyes, "You need to leave"

"And you leave me with no choice, Caroline. Unless you want me to expose your identity, I'll come back after your shift and we'll talk through the details. And it would do you well to remember, love, I'm very convincing"

With that, he strutted off and it wasn't until she heard the click of the door close that she released the breath she was holding.

Dirty blond hair, stormy blue eyes, British accent and about her age. She knew exactly who he was the moment he said the word Exsolvius. Perhaps the most notorious pureblood family in all of Great Britain, it was rumoured that the Mikaelson brothers were Veelas. A rumour that she can now safely say was true. And judging by what she knew of their physical appearances, this man was none other than Klaus Mikaelson.

And he was a Veela.

Despite her family's history with them, she had never met one before. And whilst female Veelas were not uncommon in the wizarding world, male Veelas were rare and another thing entirely.

Little was known about them, but the male Veela genes were said to be passed on genetically, mostly in pureblood families, and would manifest at the peak of puberty. The transition was said to be unlike any other pain, as one would expect after sprouting a pair of wings on your back.

But as intimidating as it sounds, that wasn't the reason why male Veelas were considered so dangerous. Even with their superior strength and speed, as well as their sharp fangs, it was nothing compared to their primal urge to find their soulmate. Every male Veela had one and they would destroy everything in their path to find and possess them. And if they couldn't? Well, a bloody rampage would certainly be expected.

Which is why after centuries of terror and chaos that these lust-driven creatures have caused to find their other halves, the Ministries of Magic around the world had a mandatory registration system for male Veelas and they would perform a binding spell on them moments after their first transition. No more wings, no more bloodshed and no more soulmates.

The only way to free the monster was through the Exsolvius potion, which was highly technical and extremely illegal in every sense. It was often described as a lost art, performed so rarely that its formula was forgotten years ago. But just as most people have forgotten, it was a Forbes potioneer who had invented it and the original manuscript was still present in their family vault. Nonetheless, it didn't make the potion any less difficult to master. Even with the right skills and technique, the ingredients were hard to find.

She groaned in frustration. If she had known when she woke up this morning that her day would end like this, she wouldn't have gotten out of bed. Her heart was pounding as she dreaded his reappearance.

But it wasn't long before the night took over and the last of her customers were filing out. She had said her goodbyes to Bonnie and Matt, who were helping her clean up, when she heard the door open and shut once again.

Despite being magically bound, he still had an aura about him that was akin to that of female Veelas. It was hard to ignore the allure and aphrodisiac that he was emitting. The way Veelas could manipulate people gave them the upper hand. Imagine what that power would be like if they were unbound.

When he reached her, they took a seat by the corner booth opposite one another, as she boldly held his gaze, "Five minutes," she grunted.

"I don't think you're in any position to be making demands, love"

"Neither are you," she glared, "Pray tell, how did you find me?"

"I've scoured all of Europe for any ties to the original maker of the Exsolvius potion and it all led me back to Arctavius Forbes, the first Potions professor of Ilvermorny. After that, it wasn't too difficult to find you, the only living descendant of the Forbes family tree. You've racked up quite a number of followers on social media," he smirked.

"Let's pretend for a moment that I entertain your extremely illegal plot, what makes you think I can help you? I may be a Forbes, but you're talking about a classified Grade 5 potion that no one has managed to brew successfully for centuries"

"That's because nobody's ever had access to the original manuscript. And you? You might disguise yourself well in this Muggle fantasy of yours, but I know that brewing those concoctions that make your customers feel exceptionally lucky takes a good dose of felix felicis "

"How did you-," she stuttered.

"Don't worry, love, I'm not going to expose you to the MACUSA. But let's call it a truce. In exchange for the Exsolvius potion, nobody has to know about your equally illegal activity"

"Fine," Caroline gritted, "But just know that I hate your guts"

"I wouldn't have it otherwise," he said victoriously, "Now, let's get right on it, shall we"

* * *

"One powdered Graphorn horn, a pair of Fairy wings, two Murlap tentacles, one fluxweed and one crushed Bezoar," she listed off.

True to his words, Klaus wasted no time and demanded to see the Forbes vault immediately after Caroline locked up the cafe.

"And how many of those does your family keep stock in this vault of yours?" He asked, looking around at the massive underground apothecary that Caroline had inherited.

"All but the fluxweed and fairy wings," she recalled her inventory, "Those have to be taken fresh or they would be rendered useless"

"Great, then let's go find them"

"If it were that easy, then every Tom, Dick and Harry would be making the potion as we speak," Caroline retorted, "The fluxweed must be picked when it's full moon and as for the fairy wings, they're most commonly found in the mountainous areas of France"

"I'll have us booked for the next portkey out to France then," he said easily.

Caroline snapped her head towards him, "Seriously? I have a coffee shop to run. I do not have time to gallivant the world with you chasing fairies, who by the way, news flash, do not want to be caught!"

Klaus paused for a moment, coming up with a plan in his head, "Alright, I'll have one of my siblings come over to help you out with the coffee shop and I'll do the catching when it comes to it. But I need you to be there to find them," he said, almost as though he were pleading. Almost.

"Your sibling? Don't they have jobs or something?"

"Family business," he mumbled.

"Ugh… fine. But they better be responsible," she relented. It was a good thing she had Bonnie and Matt to supervise the whole thing.

She sighed. What a mess she had gotten herself into.

* * *

"So, you're leaving to France for a week?" Bonnie's eyes were wide open, "You haven't taken a break from the cafe in the three years that we've been open. Why the sudden trip?"

Caroline groaned internally. She couldn't very well tell a no-maj that she was off to France to find fairies, so the only plausible explanation she could come up with on the spot was, "You know what? I'm going with my boyfriend, Klaus," she was fighting to keep her breathing calm.

"Boyfriend? I didn't know you had a boyfriend"

"Yeah… we… um… we met a couple weeks ago and just really hit it off," she bit through her teeth at the lie she was telling.

"Oh… well, I don't mean to be judgy, Care, but isn't it a bit too soon to be going on vacation with a guy you've met for a few weeks?"

"What can I say?" She laughed forcefully, "he's something special. Oh, would you look at that, speak of the devil," right on cue, Klaus opened the door to the cafe, with two scowling people behind him.

"Caroline," he called out, "These are my siblings, Bekah and Kol"

"Oh, honey," she swallowed down the bile threatening to come out of her mouth, as she forced herself to hug him, holding her breath so she wouldn't be enraptured in his pheromones, "I didn't think you would bring two of them!" She said, genuinely confused. The cafe wasn't too big and didn't require two people to fill her vacancy.

"Well… er…I-I might have over-exaggerated their competency so I figured the both of them combined should be sufficient to act as one fully functional person," Klaus was flustered but decided to ignore her sudden pet name and affection.

"I can't believe you roped me into this shambles of a cafe," the blonde Mikaelson complained.

"Excuse me!" Caroline exclaimed, clearly offended, managed to pull her attention away from Klaus, "Who are you to call this a shambles?"

"Behave, Beks. You're here because you know how important it is for me to-"

"To spend time with your girlfriend in France, of course," Caroline interrupted before Klaus could blow her cover.

She would have laughed if she wasn't so nervous herself at the sight of Klaus visibly blanch. But after the pointed look she directed at him, he realised he needed to play along.

"Of course, sweetheart, anything for you," he grimaced, putting an arm around her.

"Girlfriend? I didn't know you were dating," Kol said, cocking his eyebrows.

"Ha, yeah… surprise?" Klaus said awkwardly, before leaning down to Caroline, disguising it as affection, "You owe me big time, Forbes"

"Wait til Mum and 'Lijah hear about this," Kol teased, "Nik isn't asexual after all"

Caroline tried her best not to guffaw, but it came out as a snort instead.

"Attractive," Klaus commented lowly, annoyed at how the situation had turned out.

"Oh shut up," she hissed back at him just as she turned away to brief Matt and Bonnie about their new temporary staff.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way?" He asked for the tenth time in the past two hours.

"If you ask me that one more time, I'm going to throw you off this mountain," she threatened, only half joking at this point.

They were somewhere high up in the French Alps and daytime was beginning to slip away.

"Maybe we should stop here. There's a resort over there," he pointed out, "We can continue this in the morning"

She agreed reluctantly. She didn't exactly want to spend anymore time with him than necessary, but he was right, the mountains were dangerous at night and she was not about to lose her life for his dumb mission.

The resort was small, but decorated nicely. There was a man standing behind the reception when they arrived.

" _Excusez-moi_ ," she said, approaching the counter as Klaus went off to look at the paintings by the wall, "I'm looking for two single rooms for the night?"

"Oh dear, how unfortunate. It's skiing season and we're almost booked out," the man said in a heavy french accent, "I only have one room left, _mademoiselle_ "

"Okay… we'll look somewhere else then, thanks," she said, hastily.

"We're the only resort around the area, _mademoiselle_ , the next one is two hours away by car, and it isn't safe to go out after dark. There're many wild animals in the Alps at night"

She cursed under her breath at her utter misfortune. Not only was she stuck with the most pompous asshole she's ever met, she had to share a room with him for the night.

"We'll take it," she grumbled.

After she took the only remaining key that still dangled from the board behind the reception counter, she found Klaus sitting by the open bar with a glass of whiskey in hand.

"Looks like we're going to be roomies tonight or be homeless and possibly eaten by wild animals," she muttered unenthusiastically.

"Lovely," he said sarcastically, taking the keys from her, "Do try to keep your hands to yourself this time," he said, referring to her spontaneous hug a few days ago.

She rolled her eyes and followed him to their room.

* * *

Her teeth were chattering from the chill of the night.

"You know, this would be a lot more bearable if you would just cast a warming charm," he said on his way out of the bathroom. Steam was coming out after his piping hot shower and beads of water were dripping down his bare chest. She hoped to Merlin that he didn't hear the gasp that escaped her.

"Apart from potions, I don't do magic anymore," she quickly avoided his gaze to stop herself blushing, "Besides, charms has never been my strong suit. I don't want to end up setting myself on fire"

Klaus could sympathise in a way. He hadn't performed magic with a wand since he was about fifteen. Another thing about being a male Veela was that they were gifted with so many natural advantages, even with the binding spell, that the Ministry thought it was only fair to snap their wands too. After his first and final transition, he had to be taken out of Hogwarts for homeschooling.

He began to dress himself when she looked back at his direction.

"You can take the blanket," he pointed out, "I'll sleep on top"

She looked at him in disbelief and shook her head, "Don't be ridiculous. It's sub-zero degrees outside and it isn't much warmer in here," it just so happened the only available room had a faulty heater.

"I'll be fine. Veelas are a lot warmer than the average person"

As much as she disliked him, he was starting to grow on her and she certainly didn't want him to freeze to death. But nevertheless, she had to respect his wishes.

"Okay, but just crawl under if you need," she mumbled.

"Thanks, love," he replied as he switched off the light and climbed onto the bed.

Sometime between her falling asleep and waking up, her body must've subconsciously gravitated towards the heat because when she came to, she found herself wrapped around him. Albeit, he was still on top of the covers, but she had somehow manoeuvred her way to bury her face in his chest.

Blame it on his Veela-ness but it felt really good to be so close to him.

Wait. What? She abruptly jolted up as her brain began to register what was happening and her movement must have woken him too.

He surveyed his surroundings before his eyes landed on her wildly disheveled hair.

"Don't," she warned, already seeing a smirk creep onto his face.

"I know you can't help it, love," he teased.

"Ugh," she responded with the lack of a better comeback as she untangled her body from his, "Come on, get dressed, we have a long day ahead of us"

After a few minutes had passed and she had adorned her last-minute snow gear that she had dug up from her closet, she felt his hand on her shoulder, "Here," he held up a thick-looking jacket, "Wear this. Yours is barely warm enough," his voice was sincere and there was no mockery in it.

"Um… Thanks," she said earnestly, surprised at his attentiveness.

He shrugged and turned to the door, "Time to catch some fairies," he announced, lightening the mood with a hearty chuckle at the sheer ridiculousness of their excursion.

* * *

She was right about what she said. The fairies did not want to be caught. She figured that having their wings torn off is an ordeal that no one would ever want to experience, even if it wasn't a fatal one.

A wing for a wing, how poetic, she thought, as she saw the determination in Klaus' face. Even with his enhanced warmth, it was no match for the cold, especially now that he had given Caroline his extra jacket.

It really had surprised her when he made that gesture. The Klaus she thought she knew would have never done something for anyone else, even if said person was helping him break his curse. Hell, this whole thing began because he wasn't afraid to blackmail her. Talk about a change in character.

She expected him to be impatient, what with him being so insistent in taking the first available portkey to France. But as demonstrated by her normal human physical strength, she found herself having to catch her breath every so often and not once did he complain.

She was lost in her thoughts of Klaus when she caught a flutter of gold out of the corner of her eye.

"Klaus," she hissed, catching his attention, "Over here"

He stealthily paced towards her as his eyes followed her gaze. The fairy was resting on a stone and it was no bigger than the size of his palm and not at all what he expected them to look like. Unlike the muggle storybooks and movies he had become so accustomed to thanks to his sister, this real life fairy was frightening to say the least. It had long, sharp teeth and elvish-like ears.

He had one chance before the fairy would most definitely fly out of reach. Using his Veela speed, he sped towards it and seized it with his hands. The fairy struggled but he held on tightly. He was about to pluck the wings from its body when he felt a sharp pain on his thumb and blood was trickling down onto the snow.

Out of shock, his grip loosened and the fairy took the opportunity to fly loose, but not before kicking him repeatedly in the head.

He tried to swat it away but with no avail, the fairy venom was spreading through his body and he was heating up. Just as he was about to shout for Caroline, he heard a loud, "Petrificus Totalus" and he watched as the fairy fell limp onto the floor.

He looked over to where Caroline was standing and found her in an offensive position with her wand held out.

"I thought you didn't do magic anymore," he said weakly.

"Yes, well, there could've been a high possibility that instead of body-binding that fairy, I would've blown your head off," she said jokingly, "It was either that or watch you get a concussion from getting kicked by a fairy"

She may have sworn off magic since she graduated Ilvermorny, but seeing him like that, she couldn't stand by and do nothing. So, moral compass be damned, she pulled out her wand before she could comprehend her actions and casted the first spell she could think of.

"Thank you," he said, "I know it was a difficult choice for you. Although, come to think of it, you never did tell me why"

"When I was young, my parents split up and my mother raised me practically all by herself. She was a squib and she taught me to live the muggle way and it always made me feel more connected to her and I never wanted her to feel left out. After she died in my last year of Ilvermorny, I decided to give up magic as a way to honour her memories," she said solemnly.

And somehow, after hearing her story, the fact that she used magic to save him made it so much more meaningful.

"Let me see that wound, I have the antidote in my bag," she broke the silence after noticing that he had become rather pale.

* * *

They had returned to New Orleans a week ago and she was glad that coffee shop was still standing. After she treated Klaus' wounds, they managed to retrieve the fairy wings and they were waiting for the full moon tonight to pluck the fluxweed. Since then, it was like their dynamic had shifted. She would catch him staring at her all the time and he didn't even say a word when the next morning, she woke up wrapped around him once again. To her surprise and her body's elation, he only held her closer and snuggled his head into her hair.

But now the real business was starting. The cauldron was set up on her desk and they had already started mixing in the other ingredients. She was always up for a challenge, but after spending the past twenty hours bent over the concoction, she could feel her sweat building up as she observed the slow change in colour.

"Caroline, you should take a break," Klaus said from beside her as he had just finished preparing the fairy wings.

"I'm fine," she insisted, "The potion needs my undivided attention"

"The potion will still be here after dinner, love," he said, trying to hide the worry in his voice, "How about we take a walk around the garden to look at the Fluxweed and then get a little dinner before we continue?"

She reluctantly agreed and they walked into her back garden where she had planted Fluxweed for the occasion. As it was approaching the pinnacle of the Full Moon, the plant was glowing, a truly mesmerising sight amongst the darkness.

"It's beautiful," she commented.

He nodded in agreement, "Thank you for doing this, Caroline," he said with sincerity.

She shook her head, "I may have started out only doing this because of what you held over me, but I've come to realise that being bounded isn't the way to live. The way the Wizarding World has marginalised you is unfair and you didn't ask to be born in chains. I want to help you… and of course, your brothers, too"

"The thing is, my brothers aren't Veelas," he admitted as she turned to him in shock, "My mother had an affair and I was the product of it. I'm the only one in my family with the Veela genes"

"But, everyone-"

"And we encouraged those rumours because my father didn't want the world to know that I was not his biological son. I would've been an even greater shame to him"

She suddenly felt a sense of sympathy for the man beside her. Not only was he forced into a painful transition, but he was then cursed and had his wand snapped by the Ministry as a means to control him. Not to mention, he was alone, as he knew of no one else who understood him.

"Klaus," she instinctively moved towards him.

His face was partially lit by the moonlight above them and the garden was silent apart from their shallow breaths, "All my life I've met people who were only attracted by my Veela charms and after they've satisfied their curiosity, they would leave. But you were never tempted by any of that, and yet you stayed and you're risking everything to help me. You're truly one of a kind, Caroline Forbes"

With that, he leaned forward until their lips met and she forgot all about him being a Veela. He was just Klaus, the man she had grown to care for over the past few weeks.

When she felt his arms wrap around her waist, she melted into his touch as their lips continued to caress one another.

She wasn't sure who initiated it first, but all she knew was that she was now tugging his shirt off and she was down to her undergarment. Her head was hazy but she had never felt such clarity in her decision at the same time.

"The potion," she suddenly remembered.

"It can wait," he whispered against her neck, "Let me have this, let us have this for tonight"

Even though he hadn't said it out loud, but she knew exactly what he meant. Tomorrow, the potion would be completed and he would finally break his curse and become the real Veela that he's meant to be. Tomorrow, he would wake up with a monster inside him that lives to find his soulmate and it broke her heart to know that this would be their last and only night together before he had to leave her for another.

As much as it pained her to think about it, the soft kisses he gave her as he travelled down the column of her neck was worth it. Her body was on fire when he slipped her bra strap off her shoulders and gave his attention to her exposed breasts.

She deftly unbuttoned his trousers and pulled them down with his boxers. The two lovers moved to lay on the freshly mown grass and before she knew it, he entered her in a swift, yet gentle thrust.

Together, they moaned at the contact and the relief from the pent-up tension they had been feeling since the moment they met. He moved in and out of her and she lifted her waist to match his rhythm and it wasn't long before they synchronised into a pleasurable pace.

" Oh, " she cried out, gripping onto him as tightly as she could, as if she were afraid that he would slip away, " Yes, more"

She could feel the heat growing inside her as her breath became more and more erratic. When he quickened his thrusts, she could feel her walls clench around him and she surrendered herself to the feeling of intense pleasure and ecstasy. Seconds later, she could hear him curse out and his seed spilled inside her.

His forehead bent down to touch hers as they both gasped for air.

After what seemed like forever, she was starting to drift off when he finally spoke, "Whatever happens tomorrow," he said quietly, "I want you to know that I might just be falling for you"

* * *

The purple potion stared back at her in the transparent glass that she held delicately between her fingers. After weeks of preparation and brewing, the Exsolvius potion was finally ready.

When they woke up from their night of passion, the full moon was set high up in the sky and the Fluxweed was glowing as bright as ever. Their excitement quickly masked any sort of awkwardness that might have come after.

Now, it was the moment of truth. He took the glass from her and with a nod of encouragement from the blonde witch, he downed it in one gulp.

The taste was bitter and not at all pleasant, but the effects were practically instantaneous. His body convulsed and he collapsed to the floor and he could feel Caroline shaking him and calling out his name, but to no avail.

Pain then began to course through him and it was especially focused on his back. He could feel his skin rip apart as bones and white feathers sprouted from it like an archangel.

The only thing he could remember saying before falling unconscious was " _Caroline_ "

* * *

He was having such a good dream. He was in a field somewhere he didn't recognise and he was barefoot among the freshly mown grass. In the air, he could smell traces of lavender and wood, something that he had become so accustomed to over the last few weeks.

"Klaus!" He heard a voice from behind him. When he turned around, he smiled at the sight of Caroline in a floral sundress, her hair tied up in braids, reaching out for him.

She laughed melodically when he reached her and she pulled him down for a gentle kiss, "I love you, Klaus"

His dream self kissed her once again and said, "I love you too, my mate "

And it was then that he woke up as abruptly as he fell unconscious.

When he came to, the first face that he saw hover above him was the one girl that he had seen in his dreams. And by the looks of it, the Veela magic had affected her too and she knew exactly what he had dreamed of.

"It's you, Caroline," he said in relief, as his wings spread to encase them, "It's always been you"

She couldn't help but laugh as she held onto him tightly.

"I think I'm starting to fall for you too, my mate"


	4. Under the Mistletoe (AH)

**(A/N):** Written for Klaroline X'mas 2018 Day 5

 **Prompt:** I got caught with someone under the mistletoe and you literally sprint from across the room to shove them out of the way and take their spot

* * *

The party was already in full swing when he arrived in the overly stuffy tuxedo his mother insisted that he and his siblings wore to their annual Christmas Eve bash. Practically half of Mystic Falls were invited to attend the celebration at their family's mansion and the place was swarmed with people holding champagne flutes, exchanging holiday wishes.

He looked around for some acceptable company when he saw the blonde girl who had made recurring appearances in his dreams lately and he couldn't help but admire the way her oversized Christmas sweater was wrapped around her smaller frame. He watched as she laughed happily with her friends, throwing her head back, before catching his eye abruptly and giving him a shy smile from across the room.

He raised his own champagne flute as a sign of acknowledgment before he was distracted by his friend, Marcel, who sparked up a conversation about their upcoming college applications and whatnot.

The conversation had him thinking of what little time he had left in Mystic Falls before he would move across the country for his future. But if there was anything he wanted to do before leaving here permanently, it was to at least confess his feelings to Caroline before it was all too late. There were many moments where he would catch her giving him the same look as he would catch on himself when he saw her, and it was difficult to hide his glee. Yet, he knew that if he let her go without knowing how she felt about him for certain, she would become another what if that he would come to regret later on in life.

So he excused himself from Marcel and started his search for the girl in question who had disappeared from the ballroom altogether.

It may sound conceited and arrogant, but there were many times where he would curse his house for the completely unnecessary number of rooms for the seven people who lived there. He walked past the ballroom to the dining room, which hosted a number of middle aged couples, to the living room, where most of his siblings sat playing card games with their friends. But there were no signs of the blonde anywhere.

Dejectedly, he figured she must have left out of sheer boredom from this absolutely un-entertaining event and stepped outside to the balcony for some fresh air.

He was already deep in thoughts when he felt a presence beside him. Holding his breath that it may somehow be Caroline making her appearance, he turned to look at the intruder.

His heart fell when he recognised that it was just a friend from school, Camille, who had recently transferred from New Orleans for their senior year, and she was looking up at the ceiling with a rather amused expression.

"It looks like we've been caught under the mistletoe," she looked at him intently.

He glanced up and confirmed her observations as the offending piece of decoration hung high above them, ribbon in place and all.

He tried to hide his displeasure as he took a step away from her so that she wasn't impinging in his personal space, "Must have been Kol, he loves to play pranks on people like that," Klaus muttered, unamused at the situation that he was being subjected to.

Camille smiled, almost shyly at him, and said, "You know the traditions," she began to lean in.

Klaus was just about to back away once more when he felt another person leap in at lightning speed, just in time to push Camille away. That person quickly held him by the shoulders, tiptoed and planted a soft kiss on his lips that took him by surprise.

He opened his eyes in shock as he heard a giggle, "Sorry about that," she said, slightly abashed at her forwardness.

Still holding onto his shoulders was Caroline Forbes who had clearly pushed the disgruntled Camille out of the way before she could land a kiss with Klaus. The reigning Miss Mystic Falls felt a blush creep onto her cheeks that she could not blame altogether on the cold, but rather on the man she was currently with.

He barely registered that Camille had slipped away after her failed attempt, as he was so absorbed in the moment with Caroline. He could not believe the turn of events that had led to the last fifteen seconds and he found himself gleaming at his festive luck.

"I'm glad it was you, sweetheart," he mused, tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"I'm glad I did it, too," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him once more. Only this time, he responded with all the feelings he's been holding inside him just as the clock struck midnight. It's safe to say that it was a very Merry Christmas indeed.


	5. i never told you that i love you

**(A/N):** Written for Klaroline Gift Exchange — New Year's Day 2020, dedicated to laufire

 **Summary:** "I never told you that I love you," She reads his last words in the letter he leaves behind, and all that's left unsaid is revealed. But it's too late for regrets because now he's gone. That is, until she hears his voice appear beside her once again, and maybe, just maybe, this isn't yet the end of their love story.

Post-TO Fix-it, slightly canon-divergent, some of the facts are skewed to suit the story.

* * *

 _I will never forget you._

There's a letter on her office desk that just laid there untouched. Regardless of what she said in their final moments together, she wished she had looked back just one last time because it's been sixteen hours and thirty-three minutes since he's been gone...

And fuck, she misses him _so damn much._

She tried to save him, with what little time she had. She had spoken to Elijah the day before and the two had a plan to stop him from meeting his untimely demise. The Original Hybrid had finally found happiness and peace in his life, and it wasn't fair for all of it to end so quickly. But that plan had clearly failed, miserably so, and both of them were gone.

So now, this piece of paper would be his last gift to her, and it breaks her heart knowing that there would be no more ridiculously beautiful dresses, no more unexpected phone calls, no more sketches with short, yet meaningful messages attached to them. And maybe she's just not ready to accept that this is it, that this is the end. So there the letter sits, untouched.

The thing is, Klaus has always been the person she counted on. In fact there was a part of her that took him for granted. She knew that all of her friends would inevitably die, Elena, Bonnie, even Damon, and one day her daughters will too, and she wanted to spend as much time as she could with them before it happened. But as scary as that thought was, she had always relied on the fact that he would be there when everyone else is gone - this immortal creature that is beyond Death no matter how matter times it comes for him - and when all of her friends and family have passed, she knew she would finally be ready to accept his offer and let him show her the world like only he knew how.

But the world has a funny way of messing with you. Instead, he was the one that was gone too early, and if only she went to find him sooner, perhaps she wouldn't be filled with such devastating regret. Regret for the years they could've spent together. Regret for never really getting the chance to know him as the man she always wanted him to be. And regret for not knowing what it feels like to have an epic love like she had always imagined.

Gingerly, she picks up the letter from her desk, as though she is afraid that it would crumble at her touch. She holds it to her heart for a few moments before carefully peeling the wax seal from the envelope.

The paper is pristine white, uncrumpled apart from the neat, deliberate folds he made to fit it inside its wrapping. The thought that she was touching something that he had treated with such care in his last few hours brought an onslaught of emotions that she was fighting to hold back. She slowly unfolds the letter, draws in a deep breath as she prepares herself for his words.

 _Dear Caroline,_

 _I meant it when I said I didn't know how to say goodbye. To my siblings, to Hope and most of all, to you. So I'm taking the easy way out by writing it here in words, and because little messages and letters seem to be our thing. And if my voice message from over a decade ago was any indication, this letter will still be here for you to look back on even when I'm dead and gone._

 _There are so many things that I want to say to you, but I never thought that this would be one of them - I'm running out of time. So forgive me for going straight to the point._

 _I never told you that I love you._

 _And I should have said it because I do. It took me a while to realise this, but I loved you when I saw the strong woman that you are when we met on your birthday. And I loved you when you showed up at my family's ball looking beautiful in that blue dress, and suddenly every person in the room began to fade away. I loved you more when you showed me that you could forgive me for everything that I've done. But most of all, meeting you after all these years, I've realised…_

 _I love you, still._

 _And even though I never said it, I think that a part of me feels better knowing that you knew this. When you said so blatantly that I was in love with you that night in the Gilberts' house, I wanted to admit the truth - that love confused and terrified me, but for you, I had happily fallen into it._

 _So Caroline, I wish I had more time and more courage to tell you this in person. But maybe after a few centuries, we might meet again in the afterlife, and I'll tell you then._

 _I'm sorry that I couldn't be your last love like I promised, but you were mine._

 _I've always looked out for you, and I will continue to do so even after I leave this world. Be happy, Caroline, that's all I ever wanted for you._

 _Yours,_

 _Klaus_

Silently, she places the letter back on the table as she feels wordless tears trickle down her face. She knew he loved her, but this was cruel, because she would have rather not known for sure, than to live with this bone crushing sadness that was currently dwelling inside of her.

His words echoes every emotion that she tried to suppress within herself in the past, but now she is finally tired of hiding the fact that she loves him too. Despite not seeing each other for years, she still felt the instant connection upon meeting him in France, and it had only intensified after witnessing what a man and a father he had become.

She sits down with her face in her hands, so deep in thought that she doesn't hear the door to her office open and close.

"Caroline?" She hears a familiar voice from a much needed friend, "I came as soon as you called"

She looks up and sees her best friend, looking a little older than she last remembered, dragging a huge luggage behind her.

"It's too late, Bon. He's gone," she whispers.

"What do you mean?" Caroline hadn't filled her in on the details when she called to ask her to come home immediately. Hearing the urgent tone in her voice, Bonnie dropped all of her plans and came straight back to Mystic Falls. She had hoped that Bonnie could've helped her and Elijah plan something, but it was too much of a rush, as the witch was all the way in Russia when she called.

"Klaus… he's gone. He sacrificed himself to save his daughter, and…" she chokes, trying to hold back her tears, "I tried… I tried to find a way to save him, but I couldn't," she sobs, "he's gone"

The brunette moves forward to hug her friend, who finally let her emotions go. Her own eyes welled up, too, reminiscing. She's knows this feeling all too well.

* * *

There is a shift in the previously still air and Bonnie feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She turns to look back and gasps at what she sees.

"No! This cannot be real," she proclaims, "You're not really… dead, are you?"

"Who are you talking to, Bon?" Caroline asks, trying to mask the shock and dare she say, hopefulness in her voice. It couldn't be, could it?

"Klaus," Bonnie's voice shakes.

The Hybrid is standing in the room, looking ever as real and tangible as Bonnie had remembered him. But looking at Caroline's confused expression, it was apparent that she was the only one who could see him.

It is as though Caroline had sobered up the moment she heard his name, the tears in her eyes stops flowing and she breathes, "Klaus?" She walks towards the spot that Bonnie was looking at and reaches out at the invisible air.

Nothing.

Her heart drops to her stomach in disappointment, and she feels like she was drowning all over again. But then, she hears it.

 _"I'm here, love"_

Her dead heart metaphorically skips a beat. Hearing his voice, despite not being able to see or touch him, provided her with some kind of solace.

"How is this possible?" She asks.

 _"I'm not sure myself. When the white oak stake went through my heart, I felt my body disintegrate but my spirit woke up a while later in the exact same spot. I spent the first hours trying to locate Elijah, to see if the same thing had happened to him, but I couldn't find him. So I came here,"_ he said.

"Then are you really… dead?" She asks, shakily, afraid to hear his answer.

Bonnie turns to speak up, "You can't see him, while I can and that points to him being dead. Yet, you can hear him so that's got to mean something else. It's almost like his body is gone but his soul has stayed behind instead of moving on to the Other Side."

"Is there anything we can do?" For a moment, Caroline's thoughts turn selfish. What would she do if she had to go on living the rest of her eternity hearing his voice, yet not being able to see or touch him. The thought was almost worse than not knowing he was there at all.

"I can try a variation of the spell I did for myself during graduation. It might make him corporeal, at least long enough for us to figure out what's going on"

 _"Thank you, Bennett,"_ Klaus looked almost hopeful.

"I hope you don't think I'm doing this for you, Mikaelson," Bonnie mutters, "if it weren't for Caroline, I would've left the second you showed up"

"Thank you for doing this, Bon," Caroline says sincerely.

"Thank me again when it works"

* * *

The candles delicately placed in a perfect circle begin to light up when the Bennett witch starts to chant unfamiliar words. The air suddenly becomes dynamic as intense magic fills the room.

Her eyes roll back until they were completely white, and as she finishes off the last of her spell, a gust of wind blows into the room through a previously closed window.

Caroline had closed her eyes from the sudden attack of leaves from the garden outside, but when she opens them, she sees _him_ slowly reappearing in the middle of the circle of candles.

"Oh my God, Klaus!" She exclaims, vamp speeding towards him but stopping just at arms length. She carefully reaches out to see whether the Universe decided to answer all of her prayers and brought him back to her world, but alas, her hand falls straight through.

She hides her disappointment as she knew she should be happy enough being able to see him. The rest will have to come later, and if there was any shred of hope left, Caroline would search the world to find a way for him to come back in full.

"Hello, love," he replies, his voice thick with emotions.

"Look, I'll leave you guys to talk. I'll bring over some of my grimoires later and we can figure out the next step," Bonnie adds, sensing the unspoken tension between the two.

"Thank you, Bonnie, truly," Caroline says, hugging her best friend, as Klaus nods at her showing his appreciation.

"There's not a single thing in the world I wouldn't do for you, Care," Bonnie replies.

When she left, the pair turn to face each other once more.

"Caroline, the letter... I…," he begins, before she holds a finger to his lips.

"Don't say it. Not right now," she pleads, "I want you to tell me when you come back for real"

"I might never," he says sadly, "I don't know what's happening, but there could be a chance…"

"You told me that somewhere out there lies the secret to having everything you want, and I will find it, even if it takes me an eternity to do so but I will," she promises.

"I can't do this to you, Caroline. I have to let you move on and be happy, instead of being stuck here with half of me"

"If you think you're the only one who feels the way you said you feel in your letter, you're wrong. I want you back, Klaus, more than anything," she looks into his eyes, conveying everything she feels about him with a single look.

He sighs deeply, "I wish I could kiss you now"

"In due time, you will. I don't know how or when, but if there's anyone that I know who wouldn't die no matter how hard his enemies try to kill him, it's you. Trust me, I've been that enemy," she laughs, as he smiles fondly at the time they used to be on opposing sides. It seems like a lifetime ago.

They stand there for a while, just taking each other in, afraid that in the next second, he might disappear again.

" _Anyone capable of love is capable of being saved,_ " she says quietly, thinking back to the words she said to him long ago.

* * *

After spending two hours reminiscing their past, Klaus stands up from his seat next to Caroline and says, "I should find Hope now, let her know that I'm… well, I don't know what exactly I am"

Caroline looks at the clock, "She's due to be back anytime soon. Freya is flying here with her after your funeral"

"I will wait for her in her room, then?"

"I'll show you the way"

The two begin their way down the corridors of the school. It was well past midnight and the students were long inside their dorms.

She opens the door to Hope's room and Klaus steps inside. It was his first time in her daughter's dorm and the walls were lined with photos of their family, giving him a pang of guilt for missing most of her childhood.

"I'll let you two talk. I'll see you later, okay?" Caroline interrupts, as she turns to close the door. But just before the lock clicks into place, Hope and Freya come around the corner.

"Headmistress, what're you doing here?" Hope asks when she reaches her, opening the door to her room once more. When she turns, her face contorts and she begins to cry, "Dad?"

The young tribrid runs towards him, but just like it had with Caroline, her hands fall straight through.

"What's going on?" Hope asks through her tears.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Caroline provides, "Your dad showed up a few hours ago in my office and at first, I could only hear his voice. But Bonnie was here and did some of her magic to him visible, but as you can already tell, his physical body cannot be brought back by a matter of a spell"

"I can't believe it," says another voice. Freya has a big grin on her face, as though she knew something that the others didn't, "It worked. It actually worked!"

"What worked?" Klaus asks.

"After Caroline told Elijah of your plan to sacrifice yourself, he naturally came to me to try and stop all of this. He had taken the white oak stake from you in secret and had me spell it so that when you inevitable stake each other, the Hollow would transfer itself into Elijah, killing him but in turn, saving you.

It was supposed to disintegrate your physical body and have it transported to a safe place, along with your soul until we found you to wake you up. The spell was of course, experimental, and we had no idea if it would work. But now it seems that it did work in a way, but your mind and body had somehow split up," Freya explained.

"There must be something we can do!" Hope says.

"Find Bonnie, and the two of us will pour over some Grimoires to find a spell to reunite his body and soul. Meanwhile, Caroline and Hope, you must go find his body and it bring it back"

"Where would that be?" Caroline asks.

"It would've taken him back to where he turned into a vampire, so somewhere deep in the woods of Mystic Falls. The spell makes it so that his body could only be found by those he loved who loves him back, in case he's accidentally discovered by his myriad of enemies. So I imagine that the two of you would be the best candidates," Freya says.

Caroline blushes at her words, Freya had said it as though Klaus' feelings for her, and vice versa, were obvious to everyone around them.

But there was no time to overthink, they had a body to find.

* * *

He lingers back, watching them from behind, as they navigate through the forest.

At first, he wanted to lash out at Freya for doing such a thing behind his back. He was consumed by survivor's guilt and the thought of Elijah sacrificing himself to save him, yet again, reminded him of how he always said he could never live without his older brother. But after walking around the woods for hours with his two favourite girls, he was selfishly glad to be semi-alive because if there was any chance he could come back for real and hold the two of them in his arms, he would take the opportunity without a moment of hesitation...

When Hope was sure her Dad was out of earshot, she turns to her headmistress.

"When I was young, there was a time I transported myself in a dream to where my dad was, and I saw him killing people and I was horrified. I cried to my mum, my aunts and uncles, and they tried to comfort me.

They told me that despite what he had done, there was still a part of him that was good, a part that was capable of love. They told me all the things he had sacrificed for me and our family, but one day, Aunt Bekah told me about a girl he used to love.

She said for a thousand years, my dad had lost his humanity. But in Mystic Falls, he found a girl who brought about a change in him that no one expected. He loved her, and she tried to deny it, but it was clear to everyone else she felt something for him too. He did everything he could to please her, and despite making mistakes, he ultimately wanted her to be happy. And for the first time in a long time, he put a person's happiness before his own.

And Aunt Bekah said that it was because of this girl that he learned selflessness and forgiveness, and that without her, he wouldn't have tried to open his heart to love me...

I think she was talking about you, Caroline."

Caroline smiles. She and Rebekah never had the best of friendships, but they both cared deeply about Klaus, and it was good to know that she spoke highly of her.

"Your Aunt Bekah doesn't give him enough credit, I think he would've gotten there eventually," she reassures, "I might have shown him the ropes but he's become a different man because of you"

Klaus was about to interrupt them, having caught the end of their conversation, when the three of them notice rustling of leaves nearby.

"I think we're close," Caroline says, looking around for any signs of another body.

They walk around another big tree and surely, there is a pile of leaves swirling around Klaus' body. He looks the same as he did the day he 'died' and it was strange seeing both his physical and corporeal self side by side.

Hope mutters a spell and the leaves begin to settle beside his body. Wordlessly, Caroline picks up his body with her vampiric strength, relishing in the feeling of finally being able to touch him, even if it was only his shell.

"Go," Hope says, "I'll catch up"

Caroline vamp speeds back to the school, allowing the corporeal Klaus and Hope to have some father-daughter alone time.

* * *

Finally, it had taken two months for Bonnie, Freya, Caroline and Hope to search through Grimoires for the spell they were looking for.

Freya had put Klaus' body in a temporary state of preservation, but now it was time to end this torment and bring him back once and for all.

Caroline had left the clearing where they planned to perform the ritual as instructed by the three witches, who were now joined by Davina. The magic required would be so intense that it could consume anyone who wasn't a witch involved.

Seconds turn into minutes, and the long hand of the grandfather clock at her office moves slowly.

She takes this time to reread the letter he left for her, and she was so absorbed in his words that she almost doesn't notice the door to her office open.

She looks up and in her heart of hearts, she knew he would be standing right there.

And indeed he was, with a smile so rare and blinding that it fills her with giddiness. She vamp speeds to him, like she did that fateful day, but this time, she doesn't hesitate and throws herself into his arms.

He catches her easily and the two hold one another, and _damn_ , it finally feels like coming home.

"I do believe you owe me something," she breaks the silence, without breaking her hold on him.

His blue-green eyes stare into hers, with an intensity that she had never felt before.

"I love you, Caroline," he says earnestly.

"I love you, too"


	6. you might be crazy, but so am i (AH)

**(A/N):** Written for KC AU Week 2020 - Day 5 Smut

 **Summary:** What do you do when your current boyfriend proposes in front of your ex that you're still very much in love with?

* * *

"You're home early, I thought you were going out with Tyler tonight," Rebekah said, curled up in her pyjamas in front of reruns of The Bachelor.

"Oh, we did. We just decided to end it early. I was tired, anyway," Caroline said evasively.

"That bad?"

"No, no, it was perfectly fine. We talked about work and he was nice as usual."

"The words 'fine' and 'nice' aren't exactly what you would use to describe someone you've been with for six months, Care."

She sighed, flopping down on the sofa next to her roommate, "I know… I just thought that more time together would make me eventually love him. And he is nice… he treats me well and he's exactly what I should be looking for. I know that I care about him but… oh God, what's wrong with me?"

"Look, I know you don't want to admit this, but maybe you can't love Tyler because you're still in love with someone else."

"Bekah, no-"

"My brother, as big of a twit as he is, had and always will have a special place in your heart. You guys ended things so abruptly that it's not surprising that you haven't quite gotten over it yet. You miss him, and that's okay." Rebekah gave her a sympathetic smile, "You were together for a long time, afterall."

She had met Klaus when the Mikaelsons moved to Virginia ten years ago. She was a junior alongside the twins, Rebekah and Kol, and Klaus was a year older, and at first it didn't seem like she would get along with any of them. They came from wealth and scoffed at the regularity and simplicity of Mystic Falls. They had only moved after their parents had gotten a divorce and their mother wanted to be closer to her side of the family.

A few weeks in, however, it really settled upon the Mikaelson siblings that they were staying in this sleepy town for good. From that moment on, they made an effort to integrate with the other students and Rebekah found herself having a lot in common with Caroline. Despite her icy demeanour towards her in the beginning, Caroline understood that it was difficult having to uplift your entire life and start again somewhere else, and the two became inseparable by the time the first semester came to an end.

However, despite her friendship with Rebekah, she always found herself in a verbal battle with Klaus. They argued about absolutely anything and everything, from big things like interfering with Rebekah's love life down to the smallest of things like whether it would rain tomorrow. It wasn't until one day his younger siblings had had enough of their bickering, which often occurred inside their house, that they locked them in the bathroom until they agreed to be civil.

From the moment the door closed and they heard the lock click into place, they were forced to face each other inside the small, cramped space. All of a sudden, she couldn't think of anything to argue about, which was crazy given the number of inane arguments they had gotten into daily. And she would deny it at every opportunity, but if you asked him to retell the story, he would say that she pounced on him and attacked him with her lips. In which she would counter that he responded with utmost enthusiasm and she was _definitely_ not the one who initiated the sex that came after.

To say that Rebekah and Kol were surprised by the turn of events was an understatement.

But still, after that day, the two couldn't deny that their chemistry could be used in ways that were much more pleasurable than arguing. And after a few months of casual hook-ups, they just fell into a relationship. They never talked about it, it was more like an unspoken agreement that just felt completely natural.

Eight years later, everyone expected Klaus to propose. But what ended up happening was that he broke up with her and had even gone as far as fleeing the country ever since.

"How can I love someone who broke my heart like that?" Her voice cracked a little and she could physically feel her heart ache thinking about him.

"Sometimes, the heart wants what you can't explain," Rebekah said sadly, putting a comforting arm around Caroline, "I know he was a jerk, but he wouldn't have left without a good reason. He loved you so much, he told me that every time he saw me."

"I just wished he would've said something, left me a note, anything at all. Maybe that way, I could finally get some closure."

"But are you sure that closure is what you want?" She asked candidly.

"I have to, I _need_ to move on. I have a good thing going with Tyler and I don't want to keep comparing him to Klaus."

"I know, hun," Rebekah got up to go towards the kitchen, "I happen to have been saving a bottle of good wine that I feel is appropriate for the occasion tonight. Come on, bestie, there's nothing like a trashy reality TV show and a bottle of Italian booze to forget about everything."

She felt awful for having brought up her brother, but it was clear that he was the love of Caroline's life and maybe, just maybe, things would work out the way it should, and they could have their happy ending. But a girl could only hope.

* * *

"Caroline's here!" Stefan called out, as she walked through the doors of his house.

"Happy birthday, Stef!" She gave him a warm hug as Tyler followed behind her. "I hope you guys don't mind, I brought a date."

"Tyler," her boyfriend introduced, if not a little stiffly.

"Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Stefan, Caroline's other best friend," he held out a hand for Tyler to shake. She and Stefan hadn't been close growing up, but after he started dating Rebekah a year ago, she had gotten to know him much better. He was even there for her when Klaus left, despite being his best friend since high school.

"That's right you are, because her bestest best friend would be yours truly," Rebekah came up from behind him and gave him a peck on the cheek.

The pair ushered them into the house when she heard an excited squeal, "Auntie Caroline!" A little brunette girl came bouncing towards her, wearing a little pink fluffy tiara.

She knelt to her level as the little girl ran into her arms, "Natasha! I've missed you!" The four year old was Damon and Elena's daughter and she was a real sweetheart.

"Auntie Care, is Uncle Klaus going to come?" Caroline felt the tension in the room rise considerably. Natasha had always loved Klaus when he was around and was apparently quite unaware that the two had broken up a year ago despite his absence.

"Umm… I don't think so, honey," she looked back to give Tyler an awkward smile. He had known about Klaus but had never met him before.

"That's a shame," she pouted, "I miss him."

She didn't really know what to say, so she was relieved when a very pregnant Elena came out to fetch her daughter, mouthing _'I'm so sorry!'_.

She smiled at her friend, reassuring that there was no harm done. But the only thought going through her mind was, _me too, Natasha, me too_.

* * *

They were just about settling into dinner when the doorbell rang once more. They looked at each in confusion as everyone who was invited had already arrived.

Stefan, as the host, went to open the door and they could hear him having a conversation with another person.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, trying to figure out who the mystery person was when Stefan came back into view and said, "Look who decided to come back."

Behind him, Klaus walked in and glanced around the room before his gaze fell onto Caroline's, "Wouldn't miss my best friend's birthday." He laughed, clapping him on the back.

It had been a long time since any of them had seen him, and despite the fact that he broke Caroline's heart, it was difficult for them not to have missed him. They had, after all, been friends for a decade.

"Uncle Klaus!" Natasha ran towards him, as he picked her up and swung her above his head.

"Hello, little princess. Look at you, you've gotten so big!"

"Auntie Care said you weren't going to come!"

"Did she now?" Klaus mused, catching Caroline's eyes as she looked away immediately.

"Are you going to play dress up with me later?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, sweetheart." Caroline's heart tugged at the sight of him interacting with Natasha.

"Mommy, Daddy, I'm going to get my dresses ready for playtime!"

Normally, someone would've stopped her as they were about to begin dinner but everyone was too shocked to say anything.

There was an awkward silence, but Damon was the first to make a move. "It's been a long time, man," he gave Klaus a hug.

"I know, I'm sorry I left."

"You shouldn't be saying that to me," Damon's eyes averted to Caroline, where she was still sitting as though she was frozen.

Matt was next, repeating similar sentiments, but giving him a tight hug nonetheless. Klaus had been on the football team with Matt and the two had always had each other's backs.

However, Rebekah felt conflicted. She missed her brother so much, but she felt an obligation as Caroline's best friend. But when she looked at the other blonde, Caroline gave her a small nod, letting her know that she was okay.

She went towards her older brother in long strides and gave him a resounding slap.

"I suppose I deserved that," he mumbled.

"You deserve so much more than just a slap but for now…," she sighed, wrapping her arms around Klaus, "I hate you but you're my brother."

"I know, Bex. I hate me too," he whispered quietly, so that only she could hear.

Noticing that Caroline hadn't gotten up from her chair, not that he was expecting her to, he walked over to his ex-love.

"Hello, Caroline," he greeted, his heart pounding at the sight of her. Even after being apart for a year, she still had an effect on him like no one else, "We have a lot to talk about."

She nodded, her eyes trailing from his to the floor. "We do, but not right now," she croaked, before leaving the room altogether. She could see that Rebekah and Klaus were trying to follow her, but she held up a hand and said, "Don't. I want to be alone, please."

He nodded, respecting her wish and sat down awkwardly at an empty seat next to his sister.

"I'm sorry, but is anyone going to introduce him?" An unfamiliar stranger asked. Klaus hadn't even noticed him when he came in.

"This is Klaus, Rebekah's brother," Stefan said.

"And Caroline's ex," Tyler grunted.

"And you are?" Klaus asked in return.

"Tyler Lockwood," he said proudly, as if that was supposed to mean something to Klaus, "Caroline's _current_ boyfriend."

Tyler glared at him smugly, as Klaus took a deep breath, "I see. You've got a great girl there."

"I know, and I plan to keep her."

Everyone else in the room could only cringe as they imagined what Caroline would say if she heard him refer to her like a possession.

When Klaus didn't respond, Stefan broke the deafening silence, "Let's eat, shall we?"

* * *

Caroline had gone to the garden when she heard footsteps behind her.

"I don't want to talk, Klaus." She muttered, closing her eyes.

"Actually, it's me," she turned around and saw Tyler instead.

She didn't know whether she should feel relieved or disappointed, but she pushed her thoughts to the side when he sat down next to her.

He took her hands into his in a gesture that he hoped was comforting, "Caroline, I don't know what exactly happened between you and that guy back there but I do know that he doesn't deserve you. And the thing is… what I'm trying to say is, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. So, will you marry me?"

Caroline gasped in utter shock as he went down on one knee and produced a sparkling ring inside a small, black box.

"Tyler… I…," she was at a loss for words, it all came as such a surprise. She had no idea he thought they were at that stage yet. Could this night get any worse?

"Answer him, sweetheart. I know decision making isn't your forte, but it's a very simple question, will you or will you not marry him?"

She whipped her head around, glaring at Klaus who was standing by the doorway between the house and the garden as their friends gathered behind him, watching the fight that was sure to unfold, but were too scared to intervene.

"How dare you, Klaus Mikaelson? You don't get to fucking break up with me after eight years together and call me indecisive. You said you wanted to marry me, and instead, you broke up with me through a text message and left the country without saying another word."

"I did want to marry you, Caroline. That's the problem, because clearly you didn't."

"What?" Caroline screamed, "What in God's name gave you that idea?"

"The fact that you practically stopped talking to me weeks before our breakup and then you didn't even bother to show up at the date that I planned to propose to you at. I knew how much you liked romantic gestures and I spent weeks making the perfect treasure hunt for you to follow until it would lead you to me, waiting at _our_ spot by the Falls. And you didn't even fucking show. I think I got the clue by then."

"First of all, I knew you were going to propose and I got nervous. Not because I didn't want to marry you, but because I was afraid you would change your mind. I found the ring in your jacket months before and as each day went by and nothing happened, I got more and more scared that you didn't want me anymore. And as for the date? I never even knew there was a date!"

"I left a fancy invitation at your office, it would be hard to miss."

"Look, I don't know what happened but I never even received it!"

He paced around, his hand running through his dark blond curls, "FUCK!" He swore out loud, realising that everything had been one big mistake.

"Caroline?" She heard a voice call out. She had completely forgotten about Tyler, who was still kneeling at that exact same spot, "I meant what I said. He doesn't deserve you and you two are clearly not right for each other. But I can be your guy, let me be the man for you."

"Tyler…," she said softly, "I'm so sorry, but I can't marry you. You might be right, maybe he doesn't deserve me, or maybe I don't deserve him and we certainly never see eye to eye on anything. But I think it's clear that I'm still hopelessly hung up on him and it would be unfair for me to marry you when my heart's not in it. You deserve better, and I know that someday you can find a girl who loves you with all of her heart, and I'm sorry that I can't be that girl."

She tried to calm her unsteady breathing as she watched him nod dejectedly and make his way out of the house.

"Caroline…," Klaus breathed.

She shook her head, refusing to look at him. It was too much for her to handle. Without another word, she took off before anyone could follow.

She was out at lightning speed and he could hear her car drive away.

"Where did she go?" He asked, as his friends looked at one another, "Please, tell me," he pleaded, his eyes looking frantically at his sister's.

Rebekah sighed, "After you left, she moved in with me. She's probably at my house."

"Thank you, sister," he said in relief, but knowing that the battle had just begun, "And I'm sorry Stefan, I ruined your birthday."

"No matter. Just make things right with her, okay? And don't even think about hurting her again or else you'll be facing the wrath of every single one of us."

Klaus nodded and went straight for his car. He had a lot of apologising to do, it seems.

* * *

He knocked on the door several times before Caroline opened it. Her eyes were swollen and her face was blotchy, and his heart sank knowing that he had caused the majority of her pain.

"I don't have any more energy to fight, Klaus," her voice was tired and resigned.

"I'm not here to fight. I want to apologise for what happened. I should've stayed and talked to you, but instead I listened to my irrational fears. I loved you so much and the thought that maybe you didn't love me anymore scared me and I didn't know what else to do but run.

But after all this time away, the one constant thought in my mind was you. Everyday I thought about coming back but I didn't want to see that you've moved on and that you were happy without me, when I was still so fucking miserable.

And I know I fucked up big time, but I still love you and if there's any part of you that still loves me, I hope that I can get a second chance."

"I do," she admitted, "I do love you still. I love you just as much as I did a year ago and I have a feeling that I'll keep loving you no matter what. When we broke up, you left a hole in my heart that no one could fill and only now that you're back do I feel like my heart is whole again."

"Caroline…"

"And I want to keep feeling whole again, Klaus."

And with that, he held her close and swept her off her feet. All she could feel was her lips against his as though the last year had never happened.

They staggered into the house, their bodies still locked together in a tight embrace as he continued to kiss her as though he was afraid that she would disappear at any moment. It was minutes before they broke apart, gasping for air, having forgotten the need to breathe out of their desperation for each other.

She took his hand and led him to what he assumed was her bedroom.

"Caroline, we don't have to do this now," he panted, despite his desire for her.

"I want this," she reassured, "I don't want to ever forget how you feel inside me." She sat on top of the bed and used her grip on his shirt to pull him down.

When he settled between her open thighs, she leaned up to remove his shirt as he took off hers. Soon, they were stripped down and he marvelled at just how lucky he was to get her back.

She grabbed his hardened cock and rubbed the tip of it up and down her folds, eliciting a moan as pleasure took over. He nudged her thighs further apart and began to push himself inside her. They both cried out at the feeling of them being so connected once more.

He thrusted gently in the beginning, allowing her time to adjust to the size of him. But as they began to lose themselves into one another, she cried for him to take her harder and faster and he was more than inclined to obey. She could feel the tightening of her stomach as he continued to hit _just_ the right spot and she could feel the intense wave of orgasm pulsating through her. Moments later, Klaus followed as he was overcome with the feeling of her walls clamping around him and her thighs shaking with pleasure.

"I love you so much," he muttered against her neck.

"I love you too," she echoed with a genuinely happy smile. He rolled off her, but still keeping a firm grip on her waist.

"I know it's probably too soon but I want to say it now. Caroline Forbes, we've been through so many ups and downs but everything has led us back here, with you in my arms. I know I can get a little crazy and irrational but I'm crazy about you. You're the love of my life and I want to spend the rest of my days beside you. Will you marry me, sometime in the future?"

She chuckled, burying her head against his chest, "One marriage proposal is enough for the day," she kissed his skin, "But you know I will."

* * *

Please leave a review if you enjoyed it, as it would mean a lot to me. Until next time!


	7. you put a fever inside me (Mates AU)

**(A/N):** Written for KC Bingo 2020 - Prompt: Hunting

 **Summary:** After killing her abusive boyfriend, Damon, Caroline triggers her werewolf curse and goes on her first hunt. In the woods, she finds a lone, white wolf, and develops an inexplicable connection to him. It turns out that he's been looking for her… for a thousand years. (Mates AU)

* * *

The pain was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She could feel every bone in her body, ones that she didn't even know existed, snap and mend.

The bloodied body of her boyfriend - well, her now ex-boyfriend, may he rest in peace - laid on the floor, contorted as she threw him against the fireplace in a fit of superhuman rage.

Actually, come to think of it. May he burn in hell, over and over again. After months of abuse at the hands of Damon Salvatore, she had finally had enough and fought back.

Maybe a little too hard. Seeing as he was ummm… dead.

But she had little time to contemplate her actions, let alone allow her moral compass to kick in, because right now, she was a little preoccupied by the fact that her entire body was breaking into pieces. It was almost like the most severe case of brittle bone disease, on crack.

What the fuck was happening?

She let out a noise that vaguely resembled a howl, something that she was sure she had never heard from a human being in all her eighteen years of existence. The howls slowly morphed into bloodcurdling screams that was sure to go unnoticed by the miles and miles of foliage that surrounded Damon's lake house.

Her gums began to ache and her screams were muffled by the ringing in her ears. She collapsed onto her knees and her back arched in agony. I'm going to die, she thought to herself, this is the retribution that I get for killing Damon.

And how right she was.

Her vision became thickly veiled, so much so that she couldn't see the black fur sprouting from her skin. Her mind became so hazy that she was beginning to forget where and what she was.

She let out one last cry, before she lying down, unmoving on the floor, exhausted.

Seconds, minutes, hours went by. She couldn't quite tell the concept of time anymore. But she had the urge to feed, to hunt, and began to get up.

The first thing she noticed was that instead of standing, she was on all fours. The second thing was that she had paws where her fingers once were. The third was that her senses were sharper than they've ever been before.

She caught her reflection in by the glass window that spanned from ceiling to floor.

She was a wolf. A fucking wolf.

She would've been surprised, maybe even cried a little, if she were in her human state. But right now, she couldn't help to revel in the feeling. She felt powerful and she wanted to be every bit the predator she was born to be.

Leaping out of the lake house, she sprinted towards the forest and searched for prey. Animal instincts took over and she was able to see clear as day in the dark shadows of the tall canopy of trees.

It wasn't long before she found food. Two rabbits and a small deer, not bad for a newbie, she mused.

As she was finishing up her meal, she heard a howl and immediately stiffened. She gingerly padded away from the deer and laid low on the forest ground. Using her wide vision, she scanned her surroundings.

On a boulder stood a lone, white wolf, twice as large of her, and as much as she wanted to run or camouflage herself, his eyes were zeroed in on her. There was no way she could escape him.

He leapt off the boulder and onto her level, whilst slowly padding towards her. She felt a sudden pull and he became the sole focus of her sharp vision. The closer he got, the more intense the feeling became. She felt compelled to meet him in the middle.

Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, Klaus, she had never heard of a Klaus before, but she was sure that this name echoing in her mind was his.

Up close, she could see the golden specks in his stormy grey eyes, and she whimpered as he pressed his snout into the fur of her neck. He sniffed for a few moments before circling her, as though he was assessing her in some way.

He soon came to a halt, once again face to face, inches apart from her own.

Caroline, she heard what she assumed was his voice in her head. From the look he was giving her, she concluded that he was somehow telepathically communicating to her.

Was this a wolf thing?

Only with mates, he says in her head, as she began to comprehend his meaning, and I've been looking for you for a thousand years.

She stiffened, the fur on the back straightened in shock. A thousand years? How was that even possible?

You'll find that there's a whole world of monsters out there, he answers, I'm a werewolf and vampire, the first of my kind. A Hybrid.

And I intend to make you one, too.

What? She hadn't even had time to wrap around the fact that she was somehow a shape shifter, a werewolf, or whatever the hell he called it. But a vampire? To be immortal? That was something that never even crossed her mind as being in the realm of possibilities.

You're my mate, Caroline. And being a Hybrid will keep you safe from many dangers out there, he explained, his voice was low and husky.

At her silence, he continued. It's a lot to take in, but we'll have time to talk come morning. Run with me, Caroline, feel the power of the full moon. Revel in your beast.

She nodded. As a child, she had read stories after stories about naive little girls who ran off with strangers. But for some inexplicable reason, she trusted him, she yearned for him. And she wanted to obey him.

They took off in the dead of the night, their howls harmonising like a beautiful melody. And she felt free. God, she felt free.

As a human, she had always strived for perfection, and lived in the shadows of her own insecurity. But from the way her mate was looking at her, worshipping her, she could feel his need to keep her safe, to hold her above all else, to succumb to her wishes.

As she would do for him.

* * *

"Was that your first turn?" His soft voice came from behind her. The sun had just risen and they were lying bare in their human forms on the jungle floor, entangled in one another.

She had never felt the level of intimacy with any other person, despite only having just met his wolf-self the night before. But there was a sense of warmth, comfort and something she couldn't quite place. She sighed restfully.

"Yes," she turned around to look at him, her body pressed up against him, unbothered by their nakedness. She smiled at how beautiful he looked in the break of dawn. "It was quite a shock. Still is, actually. I had no idea what was happening."

"Who did you kill?" He asked. There was no judgment in his voice, only curiosity. She raised her eyebrows, wondering how he had known. "The werewolf curse is triggered by the first kill." He explained.

She nodded, and took in a deep breath, "My boyfriend… my ex-boyfriend. He… he wasn't a good person. He was violent. Volatile. You could never guess when he would be in one of his moods. He hit me a few times before. Twice, it got so bad that I ended up in the hospital. But he came begging for forgiveness every time, and for some reason I did just that. But last night, he had too much to drink, and he just wouldn't stop. I snapped, and I threw him against the fireplace with strength that I never knew I had. His skull cracked open. He bled out. He's dead."

Reality settled in and she was conflicted in her emotions. On one hand, she felt guilty for ending someone's life, but on the other, she was glad that he would never come back to hurt her ever again.

She was almost afraid to look at Klaus' face. Afraid to see the judgment in his eyes. But when she did, he looked impressed.

"I'm glad you finished him off, love. Because if he was still alive, I would've ripped him to shreds." He said casually, throwing in a little grin. But his demeanour and tight grip on her waist told her that he meant every word of it.

Deciding not to dwell on her ex-boyfriend, she diverged, "What did you mean last night? That you plan on turning me into a hybrid? Is that even possible?"

"It took me nine hundred years to figure it out, but yes, I've created a whole army for you to meet." For you to rule, he doesn't say.

"Are you sure you want to do that, though? You would be stuck with me for an eternity. How can you even know for sure that we're mates?"

"Tell me, Caroline. Do you feel that tug inside your body when I'm close. That for some inexplicable reason, you find yourself trusting me, caring for me, wanting to submit to me?"

She gulped, but nodded nonetheless.

"That's how I feel about you," he whispered, "Perhaps even more so. I've only been searching for you for the past one thousand years, after all." He smiled, touching her face gently.

"And maybe you don't understand it now, but one day you will. Now that I've found you, I will never let you go, Caroline."

He leant in to capture her lips with his, and in that moment, she did. She understood perfectly.

Because she, too, never wanted to let him go.

* * *

 **(A/N)** Please leave a review if you enjoyed it, as it would mean a lot to me. Until next time!


	8. Sins of My Youth

**(A/N):** Written for Klaroline Bingo - Prompt: "I didn't mean to kill him."

 **Summary:** "I didn't mean to kill him." Caroline wakes up to find herself covered in blood, next to a mangled, dead body. She can't remember how she got there, or what happened, and calls upon the only person she trusts for help. (Human Caroline AU)

* * *

She doesn't remember how she got here, or how she ended up next to a dead body, mangled beyond recognition. All she knew was that every inch of her body was covered in blood. From her hands, her hair, to her jeans.

She heart stopped.

She killed someone.

She patted her pockets, looking for her phone, relieved when she found the device still intact and working. It took her a few tries to unlock the screen with her wet, sticky fingers, but she managed, leaving behind red prints with every touch.

 _Contacts. K. Klaus. Call._

She looks everywhere but the dead body, it was too much for her to handle. Her palms are sweaty and she grips the phone tighter, afraid it would slip out of her grasp.

 _Ring, ring. Pick up. Pick up._

"Hello, love," he greeted.

"Klaus," her breathing picked up at the sound of his voice. It wasn't long before she began to hyperventilate.

"What's going on, Caroline?" there was a sense of urgency and concern in his tone and in the background, she could hear the shuffling of clothes and the jangling of keys. "Are you in trouble?" She heard a whoosh and the slam of a door.

"I…-," she faltered, unsure of what to say. It wasn't that she thought he would judge, not exactly. He had committed countless of murders in his lifetime, but she was scared to tell him nonetheless. This was different.

She was human, and he had always been drawn to her light, her humanity, her love for the living. She was afraid, for reasons she was unwilling to admit, of disappointing him. Of turning into the monster that every resident of Mystic Falls was destined to become.

The breaking of tree branches distracted her from her thoughts and it wasn't long before Klaus came into view. She wasn't surprised he found her, his sense of smell was unparalleled.

He took in her bloodied clothes, and the dead body on the floor. There was no ounce of disappointment, nor anger on his face. But his eyebrows furrowed in concern, as he rushed forward to hold her tight against his chest.

"Are you alright?" He asked, stroking her matted hair, ridding bits of dried blood that were entangled within her curls.

"I… **I didn't mean to kill him** ," she whispered, tears beginning to fall as the reality of the situation dawned upon her. "I don't know what happened, I woke up and he was dead."

"We'll figure it out, love," his voice was determined and strong, as he became the pillar holding her upright. "I promise you. We will find however many witches it takes to retrieve your memory, and I swear, I will rip apart the person who did this to you."

"Thank you, Klaus." Not at all bothered at his violent threats, she was no better. After all, a murderer was a murderer, regardless of whether you had one victim or a thousand.

"You should know by now that I would do anything for you," he mumbled against her head before detaching himself from her. She felt empty.

His hand delved into his pockets and retrieved a box of matches. Striking it alight, he threw it onto the body, flames beginning to consume it.

"Stay with me tonight," he said. It wasn't a question, but more of a statement. More than ever, he needed to make sure that she was safe.

He held her in his arms and whooshed away to his mansion, leaving behind them a forest set ablaze.

* * *

(A/N) Please leave a review if you enjoyed it, as it would mean a lot to me. Until next time!


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